Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children
by Desha
Summary: Picking up two years after Taking Care of Reno, and exploring the events of Advent Children from the Turks point of view.
1. The Disease

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 1: The Disease**

 **by Desha**

 _ **Author's Note:**_ _There seemed to be a fair amount of interest in me continuing after my last addition to Interludes. So here you go. This one will probably not be anywhere near as long as Taking Care of Reno, and I think the individual chapters will be much shorter as well, so it's more bite-sized. Enjoy, and review!_

* * *

"Hey... Anybody home?" Reno called out as he shifted the bags he was carrying to one arm and shouldered his way through the back door and into the kitchen. "Seriously... anybody? 'Cause I could use a little help with this..."

A quiet giggle answered him, and one of the four fully-stuffed paper shopping bags was lifted from his arms.

"Oh... big help. Take _one_ ," he muttered. Elena set the bag on the counter and hurried back to him, grabbing a second and giving her husband a gentle peck on the cheek.

"Who in their right mind sent _you_ to get groceries?" she teased.

"Rude did... Fucker gave me a list, too, like I don't know how to fuckin' shop."

"Reno... the last time we let you get food for the week, you came back with beer, toaster pastries, and microwave dinners," she pointed out, snickering.

"... It technically qualified as food," he protested. His reply was met only by raised eyebrows.

"Tch... Fine. Old habits are hard to break, ya know? You should read _this_ shit, though. I've been given less complicated orders by the President," he groused, following her farther into the kitchen and setting down his remaining burden, before pulling a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it, and started reading. "Green bananas just starting to turn yellow. Whole wheat bread with sprouted grains, unsliced, baked today. Whole, raw, unseasoned almonds... and then in all fuckin' caps he's got DO NOT GET SLICED OR GROUND ALMONDS... 'cause apparently anything but _whole_ almonds are an abomination of some kind... It goes on like this for two fuckin' pages!"

Elena peered into one of the bags, and laughed.

"Oh... I just bet _this_ was on Rude's list..." she said, pulling out a frozen pizza.

" _That_ is _mine_ ," the redhead replied, and snatched it from her, possessively. "And I wouldn't have to resort to sneakin' in the frozen shit if he'd just make a goddamn pizza once in awhile."

Elena wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're going to share, right?" she asked. "I mean... I love Rude's cooking, but I'd kill for a nice big slice of pepperoni and mushroom tonight..."

Reno grinned and lifted her off the ground, eliciting a squeal of delight from his fellow-Turk.

"Depends... what are you gonna do for _me_ if I give ya some?"

"Give _you_ some," she purred, as her lips found his.

A low groan interrupted them before things could go any farther.

"Are you two at it _again_?" Rude sighed, approaching the bags and inspecting their contents.

"At what?" came the innocent reply, and the bald Turk snorted a laugh, shaking his head.

"Did you get everything on the list?"

"... Almost. They were out of almonds... whole or otherwise. Apparently shipments from Wutai have been takin' longer and longer lately. Probably 'cause of the latest Geostigma outbreak down there."

"Hear it's pretty bad," Rude said, nodding. "... Guess that means my almond crusted tilapia is off the menu for awhile."

"Yeah, well... since I did all the shoppin' this week, you can put it all away," Reno replied. He looped his arm around Elena's waist and escorted her from the kitchen and down the hall without waiting for an answer, and pulled her down with him onto the couch in the front room of Shinra Cabin at Healin Lodge.

One part hospital, one part research lab, Healin Lodge was dedicated to finding a cure for the deadly disease that had begun to appear about a year and a half after the Meteor crisis. For the past six months, scientists and doctors, funded by Shinra Company, had been working tirelessly to find a way to eradicate it. Thus far, they had only managed to slow it's progression... and _only_ when it was caught early.

'Lodge' was perhaps a bit of a misnomer. The facility spanned more than a dozen buildings, situated high in the cliffs south of the ruins of Midgar, overlooking the plains. The Turks were tasked with guarding the facility and the important research data kept there. As such, for the time being, it was _also_ their home.

"So... uh... speakin' of Geostigma..." Reno began, somewhat hesitantly, "I kinda ran into Lira in Edge today, and –"

"Oh, dear Shiva..." Elena gasped, horrified, "She doesn't have it... does she?"

Reno quickly shook his head. "No! No... nothin' like that. She's fine, and so's Cole. But... she _did_ have a... request."

"What kind of request?"

He sighed and took hold of her hand. "Lira wants to know if we'd be willin' to take Cole if... somethin' happens to her. I think Talia gettin' sick's got her really freaked out. She's startin' to worry. So... I told her I'd talk to ya about it, and let her know as soon as possible."

"She wants _us_ to take him?"

The two year old was the most adorable thing on two legs... and a natural born troublemaker – a trait that most certainly was _not_ kept in check in any way whatsoever by his equally mischief-inclined 'uncle' Reno.

The redhead nodded. "Pretty sure she was _gonna_ ask Talia... 'til she found the lesions. I think we're about the only other people Lira trusts with somethin' that important to her. But... I _also_ think that even though the job's not as dangerous these days as it used to be, we're still Turks... and shit happens. So... what do _you_ think?"

"I think... Lira's family," Elena stated, and slipped her arms around him, pulling him closer. "So... If you're willing, then so am I."

Reno leaned in and pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. "Yeah. That's kind what I was thinkin', too. I'll let her know," he replied. "I just really fuckin' hope it doesn't come to that. I can't stand the idea of Lira gettin' sick, too. We got enough sick friends these days."

Talia was only the most recent to come down with the illness. Thankfully, her daughter, Fawn, was alright so far, as was the aunt they lived with. Before her, it had been Kel's little girl, Mirian... and before her, Elena's friend Chai's husband. And before that...

"You're back. Good. There's something we need to discuss. Where's Rude?"

Reno, somewhat reluctantly, untwined himself from his wife, coming to attention as Rufus Shinra stepped out into the room, trailed closely by Tseng. The Turk leader was rarely far from his charge's side these days.

"I'll get him, sir," Elena replied, hurrying off to the kitchen to summon the other Turk.

As she left, Rufus grimaced in pain, his hand clenching into a fist.

"Bad day?" Reno asked, eying the bandages that covered the appendage. He knew full well, they went halfway up the President's arm.

"As I feared, it's... beginning to spread again. Slowly... But Ward confirmed there's been noticeable progression."

That wasn't the news Reno had been hoping for... but it wasn't unexpected. Rufus was one of the lucky few who, though he contracted it not long after it first began to appear, was able to begin receiving treatment for the disease early, and it had kept it at bay for months. Untreated, he likely would have been largely immobile by now, and in terrible, near-constant pain. Healin Lodge had already opened at the time... and when he was unexpectedly diagnosed shortly thereafter, he'd essentially offered himself up as a guinea pig for the experimental treatments.

They'd kept his condition quiet... and kept Rufus himself more or less hidden from public view. He still ran the day to day operations of Shinra Company, but he did so remotely, by computer link to the new headquarters in Junon. People suspected the truth, Reno was sure, but they'd been very careful not to let information leak about how advanced the disease was... in part, because, by all rights, Rufus probably ought to have been dead by now or close to it. They didn't want people thinking they had a cure and were withholding it, when all they'd really managed to do was slow it down. The facility saw numerous patients already... but space was limited and the treatment was still very early in development. Only a small percentage responded well to it, and many didn't respond at all.

Rude and Elena emerged from the hallway, and Rufus nodded in approval.

"It is not my condition, however, that I wish to discuss. At least... not directly. One of our research teams has made a rather... unsettling... discovery," the President said, taking a seat on the couch. "For months, we have believed Geostigma to be a virus of some kind. One that caused mutations in healthy cells, leading to this." He held up his bandaged arm. "It seems we were wrong."

"Sir?" Elena queried, growing curious.

"The so-called mutations are not mutations at all. They are foreign cells, invading the body. Cells that Shinra Company is, unfortunately, very familiar with. If so many of our scientists hadn't died in Midgar, it's likely we would have identified them much sooner."

"... Sir... What exactly are we talkin' about here?" Reno asked, spotting the look of distaste firmly etched on Tseng's face. Apparently the Wutaiian Turk already knew the answer to that.

"Jenova. Those of us afflicted with Geostigma have been infected with Jenova cells," Rufus stated.

"B-but... Jenova was destroyed, along with Sephiroth," said Elena.

"Was it? Or did it merely die and lay there, rotting for nearly two years, slowly contaminating the lifestream itself?" Rufus postulated, "And that is precisely what I want the four of you to find out. Go to the crater... search it for any sign of Jenova and if you find it, bring the remains back here for further study. I'd like you to leave as soon as possible."

"Rude... see to the helicopter. Reno, we may need climbing gear," Tseng said, stepping forward at last. "Elena... I'd like a video record of our search. If we return empty-handed, perhaps the camera will have spotted something we missed. You'll handle that. There should be some portable equipment in storage. If any of you need _me_ , I'll be in the library gathering whatever charts of the area I can find."

"We're on it, Boss" Reno replied. He and Rude headed outside to see to their respective tasks, and Elena hurried off towards the storage area. Tseng turned to Rufus.

"You should rest for awhile, sir. You're exhausted after today's treatment," he said, helping the younger man to his feet and supporting him as they made their way back to his room.

"Tseng... I have always been grateful to you for the loyalty and dedication you've shown me over the years. But perhaps never moreso than the past few months. I know you've sacrificed much for my sake... and there's something I would have you promise me."

"Sir?" the Turk leader asked, somewhat taken aback.

"I don't plan to succumb to this illness. I intend to fight it with everything I have... but it's a battle I still may ultimately lose. Should that happen... I don't want you to try to save whatever might remain of Shinra Company yourself. It will manage quite well on its own. Take your Turks, and live your life. Preferably with the lovely Captain Nacelle... whom you _still_ seem to believe I'm unaware you've been involved with for more than a decade in spite of her near-constant presence at your bedside two years ago."

Tseng smiled faintly. "Is that an order, sir?"

"I shall most certainly _make_ it one, if I must."

* * *

Elena made her way past the main clinic en route to the storage building. Today was absolutely gorgeous. It was early summer, and the air was warm and filled with birdsong. She paused for a moment at the overlook, gazing out at the waterfalls that made their way down the cliffside. Healin Lodge had been built in a truly beautiful location. In spite of the frustrating and occasionally sad nature of their work here, she couldn't help but find it peaceful. It surprised her how quickly it had become home.

"Enjoying the view, are yeh?" a familiar voice called out behind her, and she turned to see Dr. Justinia Ward walking down the path towards her. She smiled warmly. "I had the the same thought myself, just a few minutes ago."

Ward was not a full time resident at the Lodge. She spent most of her time in Edge, at her _own_ clinic, caring for the city's stricken. But she paid frequent visits to Healin, as well, not only to care for her five favorite patients, but to keep abreast of the latest developments in their research, and to contribute her own observations and notes. Many of her patients, like Rufus, had become voluntary test subjects for the clinic's treatments, as well. She wasn't an uncommon sight at the facility, by any means. Even Rufus had grudgingly come to regard her as his preferred physician.

"It's as beautiful as ever," Elena agreed. "Um... Dr. Ward?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I... I've been meaning to talk to you, actually. I... er... need you to... take a look at me."

Ward's expression suddenly shifted to one of concern. "Have yeh been feeling sick? Yeh haven't found any lesions, have yeh?"

The Turk shook her head. "N-no... I'm not sick. I'm just..." She glanced around quickly, just to make sure they were alone. "... Late."

The doctor's eyebrows rose in understanding, and she smiled widely. "Just howlate _are_ yeh?"

"Only a little over a week..." Elena replied. "I... I know, it might not mean anything. I could just be a little off schedule this month. It's not like it's never happened before. But..."

"But the sooner yeh find out for sure the better," Ward declared. "Do yeh have time right now? It won't take long."

"Well, I'm actually supposed to be getting some equipment right now. I shouldn't even be standing around enjoying the view, really. We're heading out shortly. But... you're staying here tonight, aren't you? Can we do it as soon as I get back?"

"Of course. Yeh just come and find me."

Elena smiled. "Thanks. Oh... and... could you not say anything about this to Reno before then? I don't want to tell him and then have it turn out to be just a false alarm..."

"My lips are sealed," the doctor replied, warmly. Elena thanked her again and hurried off to retrieve the requested camera equipment.

She was probably just being a little overcautious. A week didn't necessarily mean anything, and she and Reno weren't exactly _trying_ for a baby. Though... it was actually closer to a week and a _half_ at this point, and they, admittedly, hadn't been _quite_ as careful about that sort of thing lately as they usually were, either. She could think of at least one night recently when something had happened that hadn't been entirely intentional.

If it did turn out that she was pregnant, she wasn't quite sure how Reno was going to react. They really hadn't discussed the possibility at any great length... though after that recent unintentional slip-up, his attitude had been something along the lines of whatever happens, happens. She honestly couldn't say... if something _had_ happened... whether he'd be upset, or ecstatic, or somewhere in between.

She wasn't even _completely_ certain how _she_ felt about the possibility yet. At the very least, it would mean major changes for her on the job. She could hardly be out in the field with a baby on the way. Even if she were willing to take that kind of risk, Reno was too protective to ever allow it. So, for that matter, was Tseng. And Rude... Hell, even Rufus would probably weigh in on the issue and forbid it.

But she'd cross that bridge if and when she came to it. Like she'd told Ward... it could easily be nothing more than a false alarm. Besides... right now, she had a mission to prepare for.

* * *

Scarlet eyes watched silently from the shadows. They didn't know he was here... and they wouldn't, if _he_ had anything to say about it. Confrontation wasn't his goal. For now, he was only observing.

He didn't dare stray too close to the ancient city, however... he'd already aroused their suspicions once, and he had no intention of doing so again. He wasn't overly concerned about having to fight his way out... but if they discovered him, he'd likely never get this close again. And there was much he still needed to know.

Not the least of which being where the trio had come from. He'd been to Nibelheim and back in the last week, searching through both Hojo's _and_ Gast's journals. There had been no mention of other... abominations... like Sephiroth. At least not in anything that had been left behind. And it certainly wasn't lost on him that these three were much younger that he would have expected, had they been created at the same time as the legendary soldier.

And he was _certain_ they had been created. They were far too like Sephiroth not to have been, from their silvery hair, to their catlike eyes that glowed with the power of mako energy. Even their faces were very much like his had been. But where they'd come from, he'd been unable to discover.

What he _did_ know, however, was that they were looking for 'Mother'. And if they really did have some relationship to Sephiroth, he was sure the object of their search was Jenova.

That thought concerned him greatly. He, along with the rest of his allies, had believed Jenova to have been utterly destroyed... if not in their battle against the creature, then certainly when the crater had begun to collapse around them. They'd barely made it out alive themselves. Surely Jenova's body had been swallowed up by the lifestream, just as Sephiroth's had been.

But then... Cloud had once fallen into the lifestream. He had returned. Perhaps, so too, had Jenova, in some form or another. Regardless... these three were apparently looking for her.

Aside from the disturbing nature of their mission, there was something strangely off about them all. They seldom slept... He never saw them eat... And, in spite of their occasionally childlike behavior and youthful appearance, they fought like seasoned warriors. Something would have to be done about them, and soon. But for now, he would watch them carefully and learn all he could.

~end chapter 1~


	2. The Crater

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 2: The Crater**

 **by Desha**

It was surprisingly warm inside the Northern Crater. Warmer than she remembered, in fact. Elena very clearly recalled following Avalanche all the way up Gaia's Cliff and down into the crater itself two years ago... and it wasn't this warm.

Of course, at that time, she hadn't gone especially deep into the massive opening in the planet's surface. Now, though, she and Tseng were very nearly at the limit to which a person could safely travel. Much farther and they would encounter the pools of raw mako that seeped out of the rock and filled the bottom. Very little could survive in such a place. Certainly not two Turks.

"Reno? How are things looking up there?"

They were due for a storm... and the mist that shrouded the crater in thick veils largely cut them off from conditions outside. That's why Reno and Rude were in the air, slowly circling the area where they'd dropped their fellow Turks off.

"Wind's pickin' up a little," Reno's voice replied over the radio. "And we're startin' to see a little bit of snow... but I don't think we have to worry about it quite yet. The nasty stuff looks like its still a ways off."

They'd been down there for hours, picking through the rubble, searching for anything that could possibly have once been part of the Jenova specimen, and thus far had come up empty handed.

"Another hour?" Tseng asked.

"... Might be pushin' it a little. Half hour, maybe."

"Understood." He turned to Elena. "Keep looking down here. I'm going to climb up onto that ledge, and see if I can spot anything."

"Yes, sir," she replied. It hadn't been _entirely_ fruitless. They had a fair amount of video of the present state of the crater... something that would be of great interest to the new environmental science division in Junon. But it was looking more and more like they weren't going to find anything of Jenova. At least not on this trip. She had little doubt that Rufus would send them back several more times, if need be, if they returned without their objective. And if he did, she was going to make sure Reno got to take a turn scurrying over the rocks while _she_ laid back and relaxed in the pilot's seat next time. She giggled softly to herself at that thought... but stopped when the smell hit her.

It had come out of nowhere when she'd hopped down into a small chasm, and the stench of death and decay almost immediately turned her stomach. Elena found herself gagging as she searched for its source, something that surprised her a little. She wasn't usually so sensitive to odors like that, these days... She'd long since gotten over her squeamishness around dead bodies. In the back of her mind, she wondered if that might be yet another indicator that she was more than just a little late this month. Lira hadn't been able to _stand_ certain smells when _she_ was pregnant.

She spotted it in the shadow of an overhang... Slimy and decomposed and putrid, it was almost unrecognizable. Almost. The more she looked at it, the more its features seemed to emerge.

All that was left was the head. Not even the entire head. The lower jaw was gone. Stray clumps of silvery hair still clung to the scalp. Its face stared back at her, lifelessly, and her stomach gave another unexpected heave. She swallowed sharply, just barely managing to hang onto her breakfast.

"Tseng! Come take a look at this..." the Turk called over the radio.

"On my way," he answered and a minute later, she heard him drop into the slot between the rocks. He made his way to her, and paused behind her, looking over her shoulder.

"... Found it. Well done, Elena."

"... Not much to look at, is it..." she commented, as the Turk leader knelt down beside the disembodied head and scooped it into a specimen container. "Could something that small _really_ be the cause of Geostigma?"

"Who cares? Just get the damn thing... Let the eggheads back home worry about the details," Reno's voice, sounding bored over the radio, chastised them. Tseng finished collecting their prize and sealed the canister.

"Reno. We're leaving," Tseng said in reply.

"Heh... you got it, Boss."

Elena followed the Wutaiian Turk out of the crevasse and back towards the landing zone to wait for their ride. Without warning, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet struck the stone not far to Tseng's left.

"What in Leviathan's name?!" Tseng breathed, as he dove for cover. Elena quickly followed his lead, taking shelter a short distance away.

"The fuck's goin' on down there?" the redhead asked.

"Reno! Hurry!" Elena responded, not having time for explanations. Several more shots peppered the spot where they'd been standing. Tseng peered over the top of his hiding place. There were three of them, but only one seemed to be doing the shooting. He hurriedly ducked down again.

"Who in the nine hells are _they_?" Tseng muttered, drawing his weapon. Given their disturbingly familiar appearance... he had at least an idea. Though where they could have come from was a mystery. Aside from the fact that the crater wasn't the easiest place on the planet to access, they'd made damn sure the area was clear before sending the helicopter back up. Elena moved just enough into view to take aim, sending several shots back in retaliation. To her shock, the three men didn't even react. She couldn't possibly have missed...

She cried out as hot metal sent a burning pain lancing through her upper arm, and she dropped back behind the rock again.

"Elena!" Tseng called out in alarm.

"I... I'm alright, sir," she replied, gritting her teeth against the pain. "It's not bad." The bullet seemed to have gone straight through her bicep. Painful, but not life-threatening. The helicopter broke through the cloud layer, landing a short distance away. The sudden appearance of the aircraft momentarily distracted their attackers.

"Run for it!" Tseng commanded. Elena nodded and darted towards their transport, Tseng close behind her. Elena reached it safely, relief flooding her as Rude hauled open the door and waved for her to hurry aboard.

A sharp cry told her that Tseng hadn't been quite so fortunate. As she turned back, she saw the Turk leader was down, flat on his back and in obvious pain. One of the men was standing over him, a dangerous looking gauntlet poised to strike a second blow. Tseng heaved the specimen container at her. She caught it and turned to their escape.

"G-get out of here!" she shouted, shoving the canister into Rude's hands. What was in that box might very well hold the key to saving countless lives. They couldn't allow it to be lost. But she couldn't just abandon Tseng, either. That thought in mind, Elena pulled the door shut and turned around, firing at their attackers as the helicopter lifted off.

* * *

"'Lena?!" Reno shouted over the radio... but by then it had gone dead. He'd been able to see Tseng, but not her from his position in the cockpit. He hadn't realized until they were nearly a hundred feet up that she hadn't climbed aboard. Leaving one Turk behind would have been bad enough... but two? And worse... it was Elena. "We gotta go back."

Rude hurried up front, taking his seat as copilot. "We have to get out of here."

"Rude, I'm _not_ leavin' them down th–"

"Elena risked her life to make sure this made it aboard," he said nodding to the specimen container in his hands. "You want to explain to her why you decided to say 'fuck it' and turn around? You know how important it is."

Reno's expression twisted into one of fury.

"... _FUCK_!" he shouted, hand clenching hard around the control stick. His partner was right. But that didn't make it any easier. Tseng looked like he'd been hurt, and he and Elena had been outnumbered three to two.

"We'll drop it off at Healin... and then we go back for them."

Reno hesitated a few seconds, but ultimately pointed the craft towards home.

"Those bastards fuck with either of 'em, they're gonna pay with their lives..." he growled.

* * *

Tseng hit the ground hard. He was bleeding badly, both from the blow to the head that had first taken him down, and from the gunshot wound to the leg that had stopped him from retreating enough to return fire.

"Sir!" Elena cried out in pain as one of their attackers gripped her by the hair, dragging her along. He'd been drifting in and out of consciousness... though he couldn't say for how long. They weren't in the crater any longer... he knew that much. But where the men had brought them, the Turk leader hadn't the faintest idea. The trees were strange here, and the buildings looked ancient and abandoned.

He heard a laugh from the largest of the three, as he blocked Elena's attempts at escape, toying with her cruelly.

"Now, now... Play nice with your new toy. You wouldn't want to break it too quickly..."

"Let go of her!" Tseng growled, and lunged forward, only to be laid out again by a sharp kick to the chest, that left him coughing violently as he sought to refill his lungs.

"Where's Mother?" The almost innocent sounding question came from the youngest-looking of the trio, his shoulder-length, silvery hair hanging forward as he leaned over the Turk, their faces uncomfortably close. Tseng narrowed his eyes and spat at him in reply. His reward was a sharp backhand to the face.

"Loz... Why don't you see how your new toy can bend?" the third man suggested. Tseng glared. He was the one who'd shot him... and prevented him from coming to Elena's aid when they'd turned on _her_.

The man holding Elena grinned evilly and gripped her hand, bending her fingers backwards and forcing her to her knees in front of him. The young woman did her best not to cry out, but failed when the first _snap_ echoed among the trees. At the second snap, she screamed.

"Where's Mother?" the youngest repeated. Tseng's eyes narrowed angrily, but he refused to speak, and the long-haired gunman guarding him kicked him in the ribs again. He fell to the ground in a heap. The one they'd called Loz released Elena's hand and returned his grasp to her hair, jerking her head back. He lifted his free hand, and a faint aura of energy danced across the surface of his weapon... a powerful gauntlet, capable, as Tseng had discovered first-hand not long ago, of stunning an opponent with even a glancing blow.

"Where's _Mother_?" the apparent leader demanded once again. Tseng's eyes met Elena's, and she shook her head... minutely, given that it was being held in place by the short-haired captor... but enough to tell him not to speak just for her sake. She knew as well as he did the importance of their mission. They couldn't allow themselves to be broken.

In response to Tseng's silence, Loz drew his fist back, and let it fly.

" _STOP!_ " their leader suddenly demanded, and the other young man froze, less than an inch from slamming the weapon into Elena's abdomen, a confused look on his face. The leader stood silently, and calmly walked towards them, head cocked to one side with an expression of curiosity. He reached forward and placed a hand, almost tenderly, on Elena's stomach, simply staring at her for several long moments.

"Don't hurt this one... either of you," he said, suddenly smiling coldly. "They have _our_ Mother. Now we have theirs. Maybe... they'll want to trade."

Tseng's eyes widened at the implication, and he looked at Elena in shock. It couldn't be. Judging by the look in her eyes, though... it was true. He felt a sudden shame at putting her in danger, even having not known. He had to get her out of there. Before they could change their minds.

"Play with the other one all you like," their captor added.

* * *

The round trip had taken nearly two hours... and Reno had seethed for every second of it. He'd never been so angry. Not just at the creeps who'd attacked Elena and Tseng, but at himself as well.

Where in Ifrit's name had those fuckers come from, anyway? He was _sure_ he would've seen another aircraft... and the place was virtually inaccessible anymore from the ground. Either they were already waiting below or they'd somehow slipped past him. He hadn't really been giving his undivided attention to his flying, if he was honest about it. _He'd_ wanted Elena's assignment... but Tseng had insisted on him staying aboard the copter. If they needed a quick getaway – which, in the end, they had – the Turk leader had wanted his best pilot at the controls. Particularly with the weather going south.

The result had been a bored and moderately inattentive redhead, mostly relying on the auto-pilot to circle a giant hole in the ground. If his lack of attention had gotten them captured... or worse... he'd never forgive himself. He hadn't done something like that since his rookie days. He knew _better_ , dammit!

By the time they returned to the crater, the storm they'd previously been keeping an eye on from a safe distance was raging full force. The helicopter fought him the whole way down until they dropped below the clouds. Under normal circumstances, he'd have backed off and waited for an opening, rather than risk being slammed into unforgiving rock by an unexpected crosswind. But these were far from normal circumstances.

Finally, though, the ground was in sight again.

"Be ready for anything, partner..." he said to Rude, who nodded, his gun already in hand. They touched down, and jumped out, eyes scanning the area around them. All was quiet... and the expected attack never came.

"Split up and search?" Rude suggested, but Reno shook his head.

"Those assholes took down Tseng like he was nothin'. I'm not riskin' one of us getting stuck in a three on one grudge match. Stay close and watch my back. I'll watch yours."

They crept through the rubble-strewn crater, looking everywhere... but the only evidence they found that anyone had been there recently at all was a small pool of mostly-dried blood where Tseng had fallen. After nearly three hours, it became clear that, wherever they were, they were no longer there.

The two men returned to the helicopter, defeated, and Reno sat down on the edge of the side door, letting his head drop into his hands.

"They took them..." he whispered, shaking his head. "They took _her_."

Rude rested a hand on his partner's shoulder, squeezing gently.

"We'll find them. We'll get them back," he replied.

~end chapter 2~


	3. The Nightmares

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 3: The Nightmares**

 **by Desha**

Everything hurt. His ribs ached from repeated kicks. His stomach was bruised and painful from several punches that had driven the air from his lungs each time. His head was throbbing, and his left thigh felt as though it had a hole through it... which, he somewhat belatedly remembered, it did.

He hesitated opening his eyes, wondering if the abuse would continue once his tormentors realized he was awake. Something warm and soft touched his cheek.

"It's alright, sir... They're not here right now."

"Elena..." he said, groaning as he forced his eyes open. "Are you hurt?"

The woman shook her head. "Just my arm where I was shot, and my fingers. They... they left me alone. But the younger one... they called him Kadaj... he made me watch what they did to _you_. All of it."

Tseng slowly pushed himself upright, and turned to her. The beating had been brutal... and he wished she hadn't been forced to watch. He hadn't the faintest idea how long it had gone on, but he very clearly at remembered the point at which he'd passed out. It had been right around when Loz had forced his fingers into the wound in his leg and 'helpfully' extracted the bullet that had still been lodged there.

"Elena, what this... _Kadaj_... said. Is it true?"

The young Turk unconsciously pressed a hand to her belly, and nodded.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I... I didn't know. I mean... I suspected, but I hadn't found out for sure. I was going to see Dr. Ward about it as soon as we got back. I haven't even told _Reno_ yet..." she replied, suddenly looking up at him, "Tseng... How could _Kadaj_ have known?"

"I don't know. But those three aren't normal... That was clear from the moment they first appeared."

And 'appeared' was an apt word for it. At the time, he'd been half convinced he was seeing things... The shooting had started and he'd briefly broken cover to assess their assailants. It was as if they were only just then forming from the mist that lingered inside the crater. Even when he and Elena had returned fire, it had gone through them as though they were nothing more than ghosts... though they were certainly solid enough now.

"They look like... _him_ ," Elena said, shuddering.

"Yes... They do."

"Another of Hojo's experiments, you think?"

"Perhaps. Though we went through his research with a fine-toothed comb after the crisis for just that reason. Nothing like this was ever mentioned."

Of course, Leviathan only knew how much had been lost in the destruction of Midgar. Or how much still remained, inaccessible, in the dangerously crumbling Shinra Building. There were large parts of the structure they had never been able to access afterward, for fear of losing anyone they sent in. Reeve Tuesti eventually planned to use his Cait Sith automaton to see what could be salvaged... but there were other priorities that needed his attention first. The man was instrumental in the continued construction of Edge.

"But where else could they have come from?" she asked. Tseng shook his head.

"I don't know _that_ , either. And right now, their origin doesn't overly concern me. We can worry about it later. For the time being, we need to find a way out of here. I will not sit idly by while they use you and your child as a bargaining chip with Rufus." He raised his head, looking her squarely in the eye. "If you see a chance to run, take it. Don't wait for me."

A key clicked in the lock and suddenly, the door swung inward as Kadaj and the gunman with long hair entered. He wore a smile that sent chills down even Tseng's spine.

"Where's Mother?" he asked, again. The Turk leader, simply glared at him, and Kadaj's smile widened.

"Yazoo. Tell Loz his new toy is awake."

* * *

Reno sat alone at the overlook, watching as the sun set. Elena loved to do that with him... and tonight it was especially pretty. He'd always considered it a stupidly romanticized activity himself... that is, until he'd spent a few evenings sitting on a blanket, with his wife curled up in his arms, peacefully enjoying the view. Though, truth be told, he usually spent more time gazing at her than at the horizon.

Even after almost two years of marriage, he still felt the same deep attraction to her he'd had from the beginning... much, he was fairly certain, to Rude's dismay. The bald Turk had insisted that _eventually_ , the newness of their relationship would wear off, and the two of them would settle down a bit. It hadn't happened yet... and though his friend was _mostly_ a good sport about it, he _had_ made a point of switching rooms a week after they'd moved into Healin Lodge, with the explanation that the walls were much too thin for him to remain next door to the couple indefinitely. His occasional teasing complaints aside, though, Rude always seemed genuinely happy for them both.

Now though... the sunset was a poignant reminder that Elena was missing in action. Possibly... probably, he silently amended... in the hands of three Sephiroth look-alikes. Ifrit only knew what they were doing to her... and to Tseng. Returning home without them had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Harder, even, than pressing that button in Sector 7.

His actions that day still haunted him, and they probably always would. But having Elena in his life had allowed him to put that guilt aside most of the time and let him find small ways to atone for it.

"Reno?" Rude's voice called to him, and the redhead glanced up, catching sight of him making his way along the path towards him. "Dinner..."

"Not hungry..." he said, shaking his head. How could he eat right now? Did Elena have anything to eat? Was she hurt? Was she frightened? He didn't know the answer to any of those questions, and it was eating him alive. Rude's hand landed on his shoulder, and he pulled the younger man into a tight hug.

"We're _going_ to find them," he said, repeating his earlier declaration. "Come eat. You're not going to be any good to anyone pretty soon if you don't, and you know it."

He'd already skipped out on lunch. Rude was right... missing dinner, too, wasn't going to do Elena and Tseng any favors. He didn't think clearly when he was hungry, and eventually, it would start to have physical effects on him as well. He needed to be able to function... even if food tasted like ash right now, as he suspected it would. Reno silently let his partner guide him back towards the Shinra residence and press him into a seat at the table. He glanced around at the empty chairs, and had to fight the feeling of defeat that gnawed at him.

"Where's the President?" he asked, for lack of any other topic of discussion, and noted that Rude was frowning. Apparently, _he'd_ expected Rufus to be there when they returned as well. A soft mechanical hum from out in the hallway was their answer. It grew louder, and shortly thereafter, a figure, draped in a heavy blanket rolled through the door. The hum emanated from a sleekly designed electric wheelchair. It took them both both a moment or two to realize who it was.

"Sir..." Rude breathed, obviously concerned. Rufus had told them that morning that his Geostigma was spreading... but there was no way it could be spreading _that_ quickly.

He stopped at the head of the table, looking up at them from beneath the blanket, and Reno saw that his left eye was now bandaged, as was his neck.

"Fuck..."

"There's no need for concern," Rufus stated, as he reached for his napkin.

"Bullshit... What the hell, Rufus? When'd _this_ happen?" Reno asked, rising from his seat and walking around the table to stand near the ill man. Rufus chuckled quietly.

"Shortly after you returned with the specimen and told me of the strangers you encountered."

Reno looked back at Rude, who shrugged and shook his head, looking just as surprised as the redhead was. Rufus rolled his eyes... one of them, at least.

"It seems clear that they want Jenova's remains. Thus it is in our best interest to see that they don't locate them," he stated. "What are we having for dinner?"

"Poached salmon with truffles and shrimp in cream sauce," Rude stated, "What do those three have to do with... this?" He gestured to the President's current appearance.

"That sounds delightful. And as Tseng has frequently told me... the best place to hide something is often in plain sight."

Reno's eyes narrowed, and his hand closed firmly around the edge of the blanket , yanking it aside. Rufus cradled the sealed canister, holding it in one arm against his side.

"You can't be serious."

"It is, I think, the _last_ place anyone would look," Rufus said, smirking.

"So... You're fakin' all this."

"Entirely. My condition remains as it was this morning. Spreading, but confined to my arm for the time being. But no one but you and my personal physician are aware of that fact... now are they?"

"You're takin' a big risk," Reno pointed out.

Rufus hastily tugged the blanket back over him, concealing his prize. "Something I have had to repeatedly ask the four of _you_ to do. I think it's about time I volunteered to bear some of that risk myself. And as I suspect the two of you will be very busy in the coming days, entrusting it to someone else would be a far _greater_ risk," he replied, "Now... Dinner, if you please. I, for one, am starving."

* * *

The sobbing woke him from a restless sleep. Reno scrambled from his bed, fingers finding the electro-mag rod on the nightstand as he moved stealthily towards the door. He pushed it open on silent hinges, and crept down the darkened hallway. The sound was coming from the front room.

It was an anguished, heart-wrenching sound... one that he had long associated with the pain of loss. And a woman's voice, almost certainly. He peered around the corner, and froze.

"'Lena?!"

There was no answer from her. She was on the floor, sitting like an abandoned rag doll, and leaning over another figure... one that lay motionless before her. A dark puddle, black in the pale moonlight, was spreading out slowly beneath it. He approached hesitantly, fearing the worst, and felt his stomach lurch as he drew close enough to see the figure's face.

"Tseng..." he breathed, "No..."

His mentor lay broken and lifeless, the injuries to his body readily apparent. Elena turned her head, slowly lifting her gaze to him, and Reno took a step back in alarm. The tears she cried were deep crimson, and the expression on her beautiful face was one of fury and agony.

"You _left_ us..." she whispered, accusingly.

" _NO!_ " Reno shouted, and suddenly found himself in bed, the sheets tangled around him, his skin damp with cold sweat. He quickly clawed his way free, tumbling to the floor. It felt as though the sheets were strangling him. As he clambered to his knees beside the bed, came the sickening realization that it wasn't the bedclothes. He simply couldn't breathe.

The redhead swore loudly... or as loudly as he could manage while hyperventilating, at any rate. Two goddamn years. He hadn't found himself trapped in an Ifrit-forsaken panic attack in two goddamn years, and he didn't fucking need one _now_. The realization that that was precisely what was happening calmed him slightly... at least enough that his vision stopped graying at the edges... and he staggered to his feet, making his way gracelessly to the door and down the hall.

Seeing the front room empty and devoid of any evidence of blood brought him another notch closer to control. It was a dream... nothing more. The Turk continued on to the front door, fumbling briefly with the lock before yanking it open and stepping out into the warm night air. He leaned heavily against the railing that surrounded the wooden walkway, forcing himself to take longer, deeper breaths. The fresh air helped, as did the open space. He stayed there for several minutes, just breathing and trying not to think.

He fucking hated this. While he hadn't had a true panic attack in ages, there had been times when he'd come close. He'd quickly learned to manage the anxiety, however... recognizing it for what it was early on and clamping down on the physical response before it could overwhelm him. Ward had weened him off the medication for it over a year ago, and he'd been doing just fine... until tonight.

After awhile, the redhead took a steadying breath and pushed himself upright. It was over. He felt better... though perhaps a bit shaky, and the creeping sensation of being strangled still lingered. It would probably be hours before _that_ went away entirely. He turned and walked back into the cabin, intent on going back to bed. Sleep would help him recover... and he was _not_ going to relapse into the mess he was two years ago. Not when Elena needed him.

He found himself face to face with Rude.

"I'm alright," Reno said, in answer to his partner's unasked question. "Sorry I woke ya up."

"I couldn't sleep either," Rude replied, shaking his head. He held up a blanket, stepping forward and wrapping it around his friend. It was only then that Reno remembered that he'd gone to bed nude, as was his wont, and hadn't bothered to dress before seeking relief from his nightmare outside. "Come on. I was gonna make some hot chocolate."

"Nana's recipe?" the redhead queried, and the other man nodded. Reno followed him to the kitchen, and took a seat at the table, while Rude calmly began gathering what he needed.

"... Just this mornin', I was tellin' 'Lena how the job's nowhere near as dangerous as it used to be..." he said, for lack of any better way to avoid discussing the particulars of his late-night wanderings.

"You weren't wrong," Rude replied. "Rufus... isn't is father. He cares what happens to us. But no matter what, we're still Turks."

"And shit happens," the redhead sighed. He stared at the woodgrain of the tabletop in silence for a few moments, listening as his partner went about making the soothing beverage. Finally he looked up again. "Do you think they're gonna be alright?"

"... Tseng has survived more than you and I put together. And Elena's tough..." He grinned slightly. "She was trained by the best, after all. They'll make it."

"... You know what sucks about knowin' you as long as I have, Rude?" Reno asked. Rude lifted the pot of hot chocolate off of the stove and poured them each a mug.

"Hmph... What's that?" he replied, setting one in front of the sleepless redhead, and taking a seat next to him.

"No matter how cool you act, I can always tell when you're just as scared as I am."

~end chapter 3~


	4. The Rescue

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 4: The Rescue**

 **by Desha**

The sun had been up for hours, but Tseng was still out cold. Elena was beginning to worry that the bastards outside had done serious damage this time. She'd tried to wake him, to get him to drink a little water at least, but each time, she'd failed.

She had tended to his injuries as best she could... To her surprise, there was nothing she could see that was truly life-threatening. The abuse the Turk leader had received was intended to inflict pain... not permanent damage. Tseng was battered and bloodied, but a week or two of recuperation and he'd probably be back on his feet again.

Except that he wouldn't wake up.

And if he didn't... would the trio turn on _her_ instead? It was true that not a one of them had laid a finger on her since Kadaj had declared her off limits... but would they continue to do so if their usual 'plaything' was broken?

The Wutaiian stirred slightly at last, and dark eyes fluttered open gazing up at her.

"Tseng..." she breathed in relief.

"How long have I been out?" he asked, grimacing.

"Most of the day. I think it's sometime after noon... at least that's what my stomach's telling me. They haven't brought any food in for us. Just some water."

She helped him to sit up, letting him lean back against the wall of their prison, and then retrieved the large silvery bowl they'd poured it into. She wasn't sure what it was made of. It almost looked like shell of some sort.

"Here..." Elena said, dipping a hand into the bowl and raising it to her commander's lips for him to drink.

"Thank you..." He let his head rest against the wall, closing his eyes again as a hand drifted to his ribs, probing gently. He grunted in pain as it made contact.

"How bad is it?" the younger Turk asked.

"Difficult to say... at least not without sounding more like Reno than myself," Tseng replied, with a forced smile. It quickly faded. "... I'm... not entirely certain I can take many more beatings like that and walk away from it."

"Then we need to find a way out of here before they come back for another round," Elena said, seriously. She'd been probing their little prison for hours, looking for weaknesses, but thus far had come up empty, and she hoped the senior Turk might have some ideas she hadn't thought of.

"Help me up, Elena," Tseng replied, and she obligingly assisted him in climbing to his feet. The Turk leader swayed dangerously before finding his balance, and leaned heavily against the young woman.

"Sir..."

"There's no telling when they might return, and there's little we can do about my present condition that you haven't already done. If we're going to have any chance at escape, I need to be on my feet. I'll just have to manage as best I can."

* * *

He'd been gone only a day. He'd needed supplies. But in the short time he hadn't been watching, something had changed. The trio had captured someone... though who, he couldn't guess. He'd heard their screams, though. Whoever it was had held out for an impressive length of time before giving into the pain they were inflicting on him... that implied either a very strong will, or training. Or both.

He hadn't been close enough to hear what they were saying at first. When he'd moved in closer, however, Kadaj's voice had been clear enough, repeatedly asking their captive where 'Mother' was. The prisoner had refused, or been unable, to tell them, and the torture had continued... for hours, in fact, until he'd gone silent. For a brief moment, he was convinced they'd killed him.

But they'd locked the door behind them. There was, so far as they knew, no one around to find a body. That at least _implied_ that the man was still alive. And he knew he couldn't allow this to continue if he was.

He also knew that he was no match for all three of them. At best, he could drive them back for a short time, and perhaps give the prisoner time to escape on his own... assuming he could even walk at this point... but defeating them single-handedly? He wasn't foolish enough to even try, or he would have dispatched them days ago when he'd first begun to suspect what they were.

No... he would need help to rid the planet of these creatures. And it was about time he sought it out. But first, he had to liberate their prisoner. What he needed now... was an opening.

* * *

Reno was sitting in the shadows in a corner of the bar. He'd much rather have joined Rude... but some of his partner's contacts were of the paranoid sort. They wouldn't have spoken as freely if he'd gone with him.

It had taken Rude quite some time to rebuild his network after the Crisis... and it was still far from what it once was... but it sufficed to keep the Turks well-informed on the general goings-on in Edge. And beyond, for that matter. With all the construction and new businesses, people from all over the planet came and went from the growing city on a regular basis. It made it an ideal source of information... if one had the means to tap into it.

And _that_ was Rude's area of expertise. Reno, meanwhile, had been – rather pointlessly, in his opinion – continuing the search of the Northern Crater. He'd found less than nothing. The strange men had left no trace of where they'd come from, or where they'd gone. He'd flown as far west as Icicle Inn and the great glacier, and as far east as the Bone Village... He'd spotted nothing. He hadn't really _expected_ to find anything, anyway. Not without a ground search... but he was only one man, and the continent was vast. The best he could do was recon from the helicopter. It was growing dark by the time he'd called it quits and returned to Edge to pick up Rude.

Rude, however, still hadn't arrived at their rendezvous point, and he wished he'd hurry the fuck up. This _particular_ bar made him a little uncomfortable, and it had nothing to do with the atmosphere.

Avalanche had plenty of reason to dislike Shinra – and himself especially – which was why the President had adopted a policy of not working with them directly. The inevitable hostility he expected to receive would have only slowed down the progress on the city. For nearly two years, Rufus and his Turks had communicated with them through either Reeve Tuesti or Vincent Valentine for the most part.

Which was why sitting in a dark corner of the new Seventh Heaven bar wasn't exactly high on his things to do list. Fortunately, the place was packed tonight, and the bartender had yet to even glance in his direction... which, given what had happened to him the _last_ time he'd walked into Tifa Lockheart's bar, was something he was grateful for.

"Hi there! Can I getcha anything?" a voice asked, and Reno looked around in confusion, trying to find its source. He sat up from the slouch he'd fallen into and peered over the table, smirking at the sight that greeted him.

"Tch... Aren't you a little young to be takin' drink orders, kid?"

"I'm seven!"

"Heh... Like I _said_..."

The girl cocked her head to one side, studying him for a moment. "I remember _you_... You took me to Kalm."

Reno blinked in surprise. He really hadn't thought the kid would recognize him. He'd _barely_ recognized _her_ , and only then because what other kid would be working in Tifa's bar? She'd been... what? Four or five at the time? And she'd spent _maybe_ four hours total in his company. He shook his head slightly. He, of all people, should know how observant kids could be. _He_ certainly had been, at her age.

"How ya doin', Marlene?" he replied, smiling faintly in spite of his general mood, and she grinned.

"I'm okay. I miss Papa, though. He's out looking for new energy... so we don't have to keep using mako."

Mako energy use was in rapid decline, but literally almost the entire planet had been dependent upon it... Keeping some of the reactors going was a necessary evil for the time being, though Shinra was actively working develop new – and old – technologies to replace it. It was slow going, however, as much of the infrastructure that delivered energy to various cities would need to be altered or replaced and new natural resource fields had to be located and tapped. Hell, even the solar array on the plains hadn't finished construction quite yet, and that had been one of Shinra's first new projects.

"You look sad," Marlene suddenly added. Perceptive as all fuck, this one.

"Some people I care about are missing... and I'm not havin' much luck findin' 'em."

"You should talk to Cloud. He's good at finding people. He found Denzel... and a lot of other kids who lost their parents."

Reno raised an eyebrow. He hadn't heard anything about Strife rounding up Midgar's orphans... but he supposed it made some amount of sense. The guy was a magnet for trouble, and what caused more trouble than a bunch of unsupervised kids?

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, humoring the girl. "Hmph... Don't 'spose _you've_ run into any teenagers with white hair lately, have ya?"

"Marlene! Come help me, please..." Tifa's voice called from behind the bar.

"Coming!" Marlene called back. She shook her head. "No. But I'll ask Cloud for you the next time I see him! Bye! I hope you find your friends..."

"H-hey!" he called after her, but she was too focused on her next destination to notice. He hadn't intended for her to inform all of Avalanche he'd been there. He shook his head and stood up. Time to go before she narced on him to Tifa. He could wait for Rude outside.

* * *

Elena's stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since before they'd left for the crater. Going on three days now. Kadaj and his 'brothers', as she'd heard him refer to them, had brought them ample water... but no food. She supposed they thought that if couldn't beat the information out of Tseng, perhaps they could starve it out of one of them.

It wasn't a problem for her... yet... but Tseng was already so badly weakened. If they waited much longer, he wouldn't have the strength to even attempt an escape.

They hadn't seen any of their captors since early that morning. The one Kadaj had called 'Yazoo' yesterday had brought them a fresh bowl of water and left with a cruel smirk. They'd been on their own since then, and while Elena was grateful that Tseng had a small respite from being tortured for information, she couldn't help but wonder what they were up to.

Elena rubbed at her sore shoulder and sighed. A little while ago, she'd gotten the brilliant idea to try and force the door. It hadn't budged, but _she'd_ ended up in a heap on the floor. For something that looked as old as that door did, it certainly was solid. She'd found herself wishing that she had Rude's strength. It might have taken him a few tries, but she'd have bet he could have gotten through it in the end. But her? She'd probably just end up doing more damage to herself than the door.

After that, she'd turned her attention to the pair of small windows. She hadn't been able to break through the hefty muntins between the cracked panes of glass, either. They were part of the wall itself, and just as solid. She'd even tried breaking out the glass and squeezing through the small opening... only to find herself stuck just past her shoulders. It had been a harrowing couple of minutes trying to unwedge herself and wriggle back inside. Reno could have done it easily.

In fact, if Tseng had gotten captured alongside either of the other Turks, he'd probably be out of there by now. Her particular skill set just wasn't well-suited to the current situation.

Judging by the light outside, it was somewhere in the mid-afternoon. Would the men return tonight to hurt Tseng some more? Or would they simply continue to leave them to starve in silence? Elena sat down next to Tseng, and leaned back against the wall. He'd been asleep for what felt like a couple of hours now, and she was hesitant to wake him just to discuss her failures at extricating them from their prison... but she desperately wanted someone to talk to. Just to take the worry away for a little while.

She was worried about herself, of course, and Tseng... and the baby. But she was also worried about Reno. He was probably frantic by now... if not outwardly, then certainly internally. And Rude, too, would be growing more and more concerned the longer they were missing. On top of that... the trio knew that the Turks had Jenova's remains. What if they'd discovered their location without Tseng? Maybe _that_ was why the torture had really stopped. Reno and Rude could be facing them right now, for all she knew. Alone.

A shadow flitted past one of the windows, drawing her from her thoughts and immediately putting her on alert. They were back...

"Sir..." she whispered, gently shaking the injured man, and his eyes shot open.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice equally quiet.

"I saw someone run past the window just now... I'm not sure which of them it was, but –"

"Elena... Run. They'll come for me first, and I'll do what I can to hold their attention. I want you to run."

"But..."

"I'll only slow you down. Take whatever opening you can find. Run and don't look back. Get back to Healin and tell them what's going on. That these... _things_... have something to do with Sephiroth, and that they're after Jenova."

"Sir... They'll have realized that by now," she replied, swallowing sharply. Just _leaving_ Tseng behind... she almost couldn't fathom it. Tseng closed his eyes.

"Perhaps. But go anyway. They'll need you."

"Tseng..."

"Elena, we both know that you will _not_ make it out of here alive dragging me along, and I will not allow that. Especially not _now_ ," he replied, in a tone that would not be argued with.

A single gunshot echoed across the ruins, causing Elena to jump, startled, and the door shuddered slightly. Moments later, it was thrown wide, and Tseng lunged forward, shielding her as well as he could manage. Elena's eyes fell on the figure now standing in the doorway. A figure shrouded in red. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"Vincent?"

~end of chapter 4~


	5. The Escape

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 5: The Escape**

 **by Desha**

He'd expected only one prisoner... but he'd found two. What was more, he recognized them immediately, even before one of them spoke his name.

"H-how did you find us?" Elena asked, disbelievingly.

"There's no time to explain. They're some distance from here, but they'll have heard that shot," he replied, and turned to Tseng. "Can you walk?"

"With help," the Turk leader said, already staggering to get to his feet. Elena quickly came to his aid, slipping beneath his arm to provide support, and they followed the former-Turk out into the open.

"Follow me."

The building they'd been locked into was near a small lake, and Vincent led them alone a stream that fed it, into their thickly forested surroundings. Tseng was struggling to keep up, even with Elena's assistance, and Vincent had to slow his pace to give the pair time to catch him. They were fortunate only one of them was injured. He wasn't sure he could manage hauling them both out while also keeping watch for the creatures that had taken them prisoner.

Far to his left, he heard the distinct sound of footsteps returning, and he signaled them to halt and be silent. Vincent briefly caught sight of the three as they charged through the forest, back towards the ruins. Once they had passed, he and his rescued Turks pressed on. None of them spoke for some time, worried that even a minute amount of noise might give them away.

Tseng stumbled over a thick root, and fell to his knees, nearly pulling Elena down with him, and Vincent stopped, turning back and pulling him to his feet again. The Turk leader was in worse shape than he'd let on, he realized. He was breathing heavily, eyes screwed shut in pain. A thin trail of blood dripped from his nose.

Though he would have preferred to remain in the lead, on guard, it was clear that Elena was going to need his help getting her superior to safety. Vincent pulled Tseng's arm over his shoulders, taking most of his weight.

"How's your marksmanship these days?" he asked as Elena relinquished her hold on the Wutaiian.

"Exceptional as ever," Tseng replied for her. The former-Turk nodded, and handed over his weapon to the woman. It was hard to part with the gun... but with him aiding Tseng, if they were followed she would be the first to spot them.

* * *

"Nothin'. Not a goddamn trace of 'em anywhere," Reno muttered angrily, and threw the potato he'd been peeling so hard it hit the wall on the opposite side of the room. It stuck there for several seconds before dropping to the floor with a loud thump.

Rude sighed, and plucked the peeler out of his hand.

"I know you're frustrated, but could you not take it out on dinner?"

"Tch... why are we wastin' time in the kitchen, anyway? Grab a fuckin' sandwich and let's go."

"Go where?" Rude asked, "We're out of leads. The only thing we can do right now is wait for them to show themselves."

"And meanwhile, 'Lena 'n Tseng are gettin' who the fuck even _knows_ what done to 'em... while we sit around makin' mashed potatoes."

"Scalloped."

"Like there's a fuckin' difference," the redhead muttered, turning his gaze to the window.

Rude narrowed his eyes, and slammed the confiscated peeler down onto the counter. "They're not. The same. Thing."

The redhead quickly turned back to him, surprised by the angry tone of voice... and even more taken aback by the expression his friend now wore.

"Rude... partner... it's just a fuckin' potato. Relax."

The bald Turk growled and seized the casserole dish he'd been filling with sliced potatoes and hurled it to the ground. It shattered, sending shards of ceramic and bits of the starchy tubers flying everywhere. He stormed off without another word, slamming the door behind him.

"Crap..." Reno sighed. Something told him this wasn't about potatoes. He quickly sidestepped the mess on the floor and trailed the other Turk outside. He found him at the overlook, and walked over to where he was leaning against the railing, staring out at the falls. "So... guess that means were havin' somethin' _else_ for dinner, huh?"

Rude didn't answer, and Reno joined him, mirroring his position at the rail. "This is gettin' to you as bad as it's gettin' to me, isn't it?"

Rude sighed. "Tseng is _your_ mentor. Elena is _your_ wife. But I love them both, too. And I hate not knowing."

"I'm sorry," the redhead stated, and Rude finally looked over at him, clearly not having expected that. Reno gave him a weak smile. "You've always been the strong one. Nothin' phases you. Makes it a little too easy to forget you're just as human as everyone else, sometimes... even when I know better."

"... Thanks."

"'Sides... You got as much claim on 'em as anyone. They're not _mine_. They're _ours_. Gimme a few minutes. I'll go clean up the potatoes you just assassinated, and we'll start over... 'kay?"

Rude nodded and turned his gaze back to the view, and the redhead headed back to the kitchen, berating himself. He should have noticed sooner, but he'd been too caught up in his own worries to take on someone else's. But he still should have noticed... especially when Rude had gotten up before the sun that morning to start breakfast. And when lunch had been four courses. And _particularly_ when he'd discovered his friend had written out an entire menu for dinner. Rude loved to cook. It was therapeutic and relaxing for him. And when he went overboard, there was usually a reason for it.

The redhead grimaced at the sight of the shattered dish and started scooping the remains into the trash. It had been one of Rude's favorites. Elena had given it to him last Christmas. He was going to be upset when he realized what he'd done. Reno decided not to mention it for the time being.

It had been four days. And almost two of those days had been spent sitting around, waiting. The trail had gone cold, and they were left in limbo... desperately wanting to search, but already having covered most places that made sense for them to be hiding. The trio had gone to ground somewhere, and they'd taken two Turks with them.

At least, he _hoped_ , Tseng and Elena were still with them... because the alternative... well, if they'd gotten away, they'd have contacted Healin by now. If they weren't with the men from the crater, then given that they'd heard nothing there at the Lodge, the odds of them being dead skyrocketed. Thus far, Reno had refused to acknowledge the possibility at all. They were alive, and he and Rude were going to find them. To start thinking otherwise... would probably result in him never sleeping through the night again until this was all over.

He sighed softly and cleared the last of the ex-potatoes from the tile.

* * *

It had taken them hours last night to reach this place. And when they finally had, both she and Tseng had all but collapsed. Even Vincent seemed tired, and _he_ hadn't spent days being alternately starved and tortured.

They would have been able to make better progress, even in spite of the Turk leader's injuries... but their pursuers had dogged them throughout the night. They'd spend half the trip in hiding, and the other half moving slowly to avoid making too much noise. Twice, they'd somehow gotten turned around in the strange forest, and gone in a wide circle. But they'd made it out. Finally.

Vincent lead them into a large tent... one of several in the little clearing they'd come to, all of which were fashioned from a combination of canvas and gigantic bones. The roof of this particular shelter was a massive dragon skull.

"Where are we?" Elena asked slightly awed as she stepped inside.

"An old archeological dig site. The Bone Village, as its former inhabitants called it. It was abandoned shortly after Meteorfall. The workers had some trouble with mako poisoning following the crisis... though the residual energy seems to have cleared out at this point. I've been using it as a sort of base of operations for watching those three," the former Turk replied, and laid Tseng down on a sleeping bag atop a pallet. "There's food in that crate. I assume they didn't bother feeding you."

"We really need to contact Healin." She rummaged through the container. It was mostly trail food. Nuts, dried fruit, protein bars. Long lasting and easy to pack. A few cans lined the bottom as well.

"That will be... difficult," said Vincent. "Even if I _had_ a PHS, reception on the Northern Continent is spotty at best these days. There's a radio... but it doesn't work, and probably hasn't in years. I'm not especially good with electronics myself, but if you think you can do something with it, you're welcome to give it a try."

Elena shook her head. "Not exactly my strong suit, either."

"Nor mine, I'm afraid," Tseng said, coughing faintly.

"There's a boat that travels near here once a week. When I need them, I signal them from the beach. But it will be some time before they return. They just passed by the day before yesterday. Had I known you'd been brought here, I'd have asked them to wait... but I was retrieving supplies when you arrived and didn't find out until I returned to the city."

"... How long have you been here?" Elena asked, curious.

"A little over a month. _Those_ three showed up about a week ago, just as I was planning to leave, myself. I thought it best to stay for awhile longer and see what they were up to."

Tseng looked up at him in surprise. "A month? What were you doing up here all this time, Vincent?"

Vincent shook his head. "Satisfying my curiosity, mostly. I wanted to explore the ancient Cetra city they've since taken over. And... I came to pay my respects. That city is is where Aerith died. And where she's interred."

Elena didn't miss the expression of sadness that came over Tseng's face for a moment... and she doubted Vincent did, either. Neither of them said anything.

"Sir... You should eat something," she said, changing the subject.

"You first. You need it more than I do."

Vincent's eyebrow rose. "A curious thing to say, given that _you_ appear to be the only one they tortured. Why _did_ they leave Elena be, anyway?"

"I..." the other Turk began, but Tseng opted to explain for her.

"They planned to use her as leverage to get what they want from Rufus. We... located some of Jenova's remains in the Northern Crater. Reno and Rude escaped with them. _We_ were not so fortunate. They thought perhaps they could trade Elena for them. I was somewhat... _less_ valuable to them."

Elena moved behind him and carefully helped the Wutaiian Turk to sit up. She tore open the wrapping of one of the protein bars, breaking a piece off and offering it to him.

"Elena... Please just rest. You're exhausted."

"So are you. _And_ you're hurt," she replied, firmly, adding before he could protest again, "For Shiva's sake, Tseng... I'm _pregnant_ , I'm not dying."

"... I see," Vincent commented, "Well, _that_ certainly explains why they felt you would make a better trade than he would. In any case, you should _both_ eat, and get some sleep. I'll keep watch. In the morning, I will see what I can do about getting us out of here... but we may be staying put awhile longer."

* * *

"Any news?" Reno asked, as he stepped out of his bedroom and nearly walked straight into Rude in the hallway. It was the same question he asked every morning lately.

"Not about Elena and Tseng," his partner sighed. "But... there's signs that a fresh outbreak might be starting in Edge."

"... Oh, terrific." That was all they needed. If more people started getting sick, Rufus would almost certainly be forced to pull them off the search for the two missing Turks. Not that said search seemed to be going anywhere at the moment anyway. There were a limited number of pilots on the eastern continent, outside of the ones stationed in Junon... and medical supplies were going to be in high demand. Air was faster... especially if they ended up having to ship them in from other storage locations again. "When the hell's this shit gonna stop?"

"Not until we find a cure for it, I'd imagine," a voice from farther down the hall informed them. Reno turned to see Rufus wheeling his way toward them.

"Tch... you gonna stay in that thing _all_ the time, sir?"

"Until I have no reason to... yes. It's only a matter of time before we're found. It's not as if we've gone to great lengths to dispel the rumors that I'm here. For all we know, we may be surveilled already."

Rude chuckled softly. "Thought _we_ were the only ones who were supposed to be _that_ paranoid..."

"Laugh all you wish. Our cure may well be found in this rotting lump of flesh, and I have no intention making it easy to find," Rufus assured them, as he continued past them. Reno glanced over at his partner and smirked slightly before following the President into the front room. He had to admit, he took a certain amount of pride in the man Rufus had become after the Meteor Crisis. Tseng took even more. The young executive was much changed from the brash, haughty young man he'd been before his father's death. He'd grown up quite a bit... as had they all.

Though he could still be an insufferable pain in the ass at times.

"Oh, and Reno... ?" the man called back over his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"There's a phone call I want you to make. I think it's just about time we called in a little... backup."

Without looking back, he held out a somewhat dog-earred business card. The redhead took it from him as he rolled his way towards the kitchen without another word, Rude not far behind. Curious, Reno glanced down at the text printed on the card... and groaned.

' _Strife Delivery Service_ '.

~end chapter 5~


	6. The Phone Call

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 6: The Phone Call**

 **by Desha**

Elena sat up and stretched. She'd drifted in and out of sleep all night long, and when the sun had finally started to rise, she'd decided to give up the pretense. Tseng, however, was still dozing peacefully, so she crept silently from the nest of blankets she'd curled up in, careful not to wake him as she made her way outside.

The forest around them was still and silent... almost unnaturally so. She wished she had a weapon. It had been difficult to relinquish her borrowed one back to its rightful owner. Speaking of whom, she belatedly caught sight of the former Turk, perched in the branches of a large tree, and moved toward him. As she approached, he glanced down at her, and a moment later, dropped neatly to the ground.

"Problem?" Vincent asked, and Elena shook her head.

"No... Just sick of pretending to sleep," she replied. "I thought I'd get up before I woke Tseng."

The dark man nodded in understanding. "I myself have little need of sleep. Though I sometimes wonder if that's more a curse than a blessing." He flashed her the barest hint of a smile. "I believe our pursuers have given up. Or at least simply lost interest, for now. I retraced our steps a little while ago. They were returning to the Cetra city."

"Maybe just to regroup and rest..."

Vincent nodded. "Possibly. For the time being, though, we're safe enough. How long we will remain so, I can't say."

"Then we need to find a way to contact help."

"I would like nothing more. But our options are limited. Unless you intend to _swim_ back to civilization or brave the snowfields on the other side of the mountain range, we're stuck here until the next ship passes by."

"... Kadaj and the others. They have my PHS. And Tseng's," she ventured. "Going back for them might be worth the risk."

"I don't recommend it," Vincent said seriously, "Assuming they haven't simply destroyed them, I doubt they've left them lying around for anyone to pick up. Tseng is certainly in no condition to fight, and you're unarmed. I can't take all three of them on my own. Nor would I particularly enjoy meeting the fate that would almost certainly await me should your husband find out that I let you walk right back into the enemy camp hours after you escaped it."

Elena sighed. He was right. The safest course of action was to stay out of sight and wait, and she knew it. But Tseng was hurting... and so, she was sure, were Reno and Rude, albeit not in the same way. She would feel much better once she was able to tell them that she and the Turk leader were safe. For that matter... she'd feel much better once _she_ was safe. Because if she was safe, then so was her baby.

"Does he know yet?" Vincent asked, breaking in on her thoughts, and Elena suddenly realized that her hands had unconsciously moved to shield her abdomen.

"... Not yet. I wasn't going to say anything to Reno until I knew for sure. I was supposed to see the doctor when we got back from our mission." She shuddered slightly. "Somehow... Kadaj could tell."

"There's something... _abnormal_... about those three," he said, pensively. "Beyond the obvious, that is."

"Do you have any idea where they might have come from?"

"Hojo's experiments, one could assume."

"We didn't find any evidence of anything like that," Elena said, shaking her head slightly. "And believe me, we looked. The President wanted to be absolutely certain the planet would never be threatened by another Sephiroth."

"Then perhaps... neither Jenova nor Sephiroth were quite as obliterated as we thought they were. Obviously at least _one_ piece of Jenova is still intact. You found it. And Sephiroth survived within lifestream itself for years, by will alone. Who's to say a remnant of him didn't manage to cling to some form of existence even after he was killed?"

"Is... is that even possible?"

Vincent turned his gaze on the forest, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I have no idea," he replied, before looking back to her, "But the world believed him dead once before. I wouldn't put much of anything past him."

* * *

Reno frowned at his PHS. He'd put it off all morning, but he was out of excuses. With a resigned sigh, he dialed the number on the card, and listened to it ring.

And ring.

He scowled at the phone. Not exactly great customer service. At last someone picked up.

" _Yes? Strife Delivery Service…"_ a somewhat familiar voice said. Reno smirked. At least he didn't have to go through Cloud personally for this. The guy was a real buzz-kill sometimes. _"You name it –"_

And since the woman wasn't likely to be able to inflict much damage to him over the phone...

"Hey, Tifa... How's shit?"

" _... we de… liv… er…"_ she trailed off, uncertainly.

"Heh... You _do_ remember me, right?"

To his surprise, he heard her laugh softly. _"Oh, yeah. I remember_ _ **you**_ _."_

"Tch... If I didn't know better, I'd say you _almost_ sounded happy to hear from me."

" _Don't read too much into it. What is it you want, Reno?"_

"Not so much what _I_ want... More what the President wants. Strife busy? 'Cause we got a job for him."

" _What_ _ **sort**_ _of job?"_ she asked, some of the old suspicion creeping back into her voice.

"Didn't say exactly," Reno replied, which was true enough. Rufus hadn't _explicitly_ told him what he had in mind for Strife. Just that he thought the man would come in handy against those Sephiroth look-alikes. "He'll have to come ask for himself up here at Healin. I'm just the messenger."

" _... I'll pass it along. It might be a day or two. He's gotten pretty bad about answering his phone lately._ "

"Tell him it's important," the redhead responded, "We'll be waitin'."

" _Reno?"_

"Yeah?"

" _Marlene said she saw you. The other night at the bar."_

"... Yeah... uh... _she's_ the one that came up to _me_... I didn't –" he began, perhaps more defensively than was warranted.

" _No, I didn't mean... Look. I know we're not exactly friends. But... you don't have to hide. I'm not going to throw you out if you stop by for a drink."_ She paused for a brief moment. _"We..._ _ **all**_ _did things we're not proud of."_

"Some of us did worse than others," he said, flatly.

" _Maybe. Or maybe just terrible in different ways. But Marlene remembers you for how nice you were to her, and how you made sure she was safe. I think she'd like to see you once in awhile. Elena, too."_

His heart twisted at the mention of Elena's name, and it took him a moment to respond.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said. There was no reason to tell Tifa about Elena and Tseng. Maybe later, if Strife decided to help them out... but not at this point. He'd been trying very hard not to think about what could be happening to his beautiful Elena right now, anyway. "Long as you promise you're not gonna drag me into the gutter by the balls again..."

" _I promise_ _ **nothing**_ _,"_ the bartender said with a faint chuckle.

* * *

The sand was surprisingly warm. She wouldn't have expected it, so far north. The water, though... it was utterly _freezing_. She'd only dipped a foot in just to see. She hadn't _really_ been considering Vincent's fleeting suggestion that she swim to the mainland... but she had to admit, it had briefly been a passing fantasy. But Elena wasn't under any illusion she'd ever be able to pull off something like that. Besides which, the ocean still scared her a little.

She smiled slightly, thinking about how much she and Reno had enjoyed the beach in Costa del Sol, though. The redhead loved the water... and he'd encouraged her to join him in it more times than she could count while they'd been on their honeymoon. Almost to the point that she'd joked that they'd spent more time in the surf than in bed some days. And they'd _certainly_ spent plenty of time in bed.

It had been an incredible week... Just the two of them, newly married and very much in love. Reno had gone out of his way to pepper their trip with little surprises every day. The first morning, she'd awoken, after a very... _active_... night, to breakfast in bed. Reno had gotten up before sunrise to ensure that the resort's kitchen had included all of her favorite tropical fruits, and lazily fed them to her between teasing kisses. It was one of the sweetest things he'd ever done. Neither of them had been quite ready to leave when the week was over.

That had been almost two years ago, and she could still remember it as though it were yesterday. Since then, she'd only come to love her husband more, though it was hard to believe that was possible. Elena sighed softly. If it _really_ took a week or more for that damn ship to show up... it would be the longest the two of them had been apart since before the wedding. It was beginning to feel as though a part of her was missing. And she she was beginning to hate that feeling.

"I hope you weren't taking me seriously. I don't think you'd make it such a distance."

Elena glanced back and found that Vincent had silently joined her on the beach, and shook her head.

"Maybe if I were a better swimmer," she replied, with a ghost of a smile. "I haven't seen anything out there. Not so much as a rowboat."

"Icicle Inn is on the other side of the continent, and Bone Village has been abandoned for quite some time now. There's little need for supply ships out here. The one that brought me runs between Kalm and western continent... but Kalm gets most of its deliveries by air these days, so it's one of very few," Vincent replied, "I've brought you something."

Elena turned and was surprised to see him holding out a gun. An old revolver... not really her preferred style of firearm, but it was better than nothing.

"I found it this morning in one of the tents. It's not exactly the most powerful of weapons and the ammunition is in short supply, but... I know how disconcerting it can be for a gunner to be without a gun."

She smiled. "Thank you, Vincent."

He never said so, but over the past several months, Elena had gotten the impression that Vincent enjoyed having reconnected with the Turks... even though there was next to nothing _left_ of the Turks as he'd known them. There was even the rare occasion that he turned up at Healin Lodge with no particular objective but to visit. He was generally quiet and kept to himself, preferring to lurk more than interact... but Elena liked seeing him around all the same. So did the others. He got along particularly well with Rude.

"Tseng is awake, by the way."

"How is he?" she asked, as they turned to head back up the path to the Bone Village.

"Uncomfortable and restless. I gather he's not overly fond of having to take it easy..."

She snickered softly. "After the two months he spent in bed after he was attacked by Sephiroth? And all the months after _that_ he spent recovering his strength from _being_ in bed for so long? No. He's not."

* * *

Rude shook his head and did his best to ignore the table full of gun parts... but after a few minutes, Reno got the feeling that he was going to ask anyway.

"... What are you doing?" came the inevitable question. The redhead set aside the piece he was wiping down and looked up at him.

"She's not here to do it herself."

Elena took meticulous care of her guns, and cleaned and oiled them on a regular schedule. It had felt wrong to leave them neglected simply because she wasn't there. That... and it made him feel _slightly_ less useless than he already did.

It had been a day and a half since he'd called Cloud. Or attempted to call Cloud. The swordsman had yet to respond to Shinra's summons, and Reno was starting to wonder if he'd bother. Likewise, their own investigation was still stalled... though if nothing turned up by tonight, he was thinking about taking the copter and heading back up north. It may ultimately prove fruitless, but he couldn't stand just sitting around anymore. He needed to do _something_.

Which was why he currently had three separate guns laid out in front of him in pieces.

Rude drifted past him with a gentle squeeze of the shoulder, and went back to gathering what he needed for whatever dish he had in mind for lunch, as Reno locked the slide of one of the weapons back into place.

His phone rang, buzzing faintly against the tabletop, and he reached for it, somewhat distracted, before sparing a moment to glance at the screen. When he _did_ , his breath caught in his throat and he nearly dropped the device in his hurry to accept the call.

"'Lena?!" he answered, breathlessly, and Rude's attention suddenly snapped away from what he was doing, as well.

The person on the other end of the line chuckled coldly.

" _Where's Mother?"_ an unfamiliar voice asked, and the redhead's elation quickly turned to fury. There weren't many people... besides Elena... who could possibly have her phone. Those bastards who'd taken her topped the list.

"Where are they, you son of a bitch?!" he shouted, "What have you done with them?!"

" _You tell me what you've done with Mother... and maybe I'll consider telling you what_ _ **I've**_ _done with those two..."_

Mother? What in Ifrit's name were they talking about?

"We don't _have_ your mother..."

" _Don't tell me you're trying to lead me on..."_ the voice said in feigned disbelief. _"Because I think you_ _ **do**_ _have Mother there."_

Reno searched his mind for a response, and it finally clicked. Jenova. That's what they had to be talking about. But he could hardly tell them that Rufus what holding onto Jenova personally.

"Listen to me you little shit!" he growled angrily, "If you've hurt 'em, I'm gonna fuckin' –"

" _No need to shout,"_ the man replied, and Reno could practically _hear_ the smirk in his voice. His tone suddenly sobered. _"I don't want to talk to you anymore. Put the President on."_

~end chapter 6~


	7. The Meeting

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 7: The Meeting**

 **by Desha**

"Hey..."

"Yeah?"

"Think they're backin' off."

"..."

"Let the President know, will ya?"

Rude wordlessly disappeared from the room and headed downstairs. Reno listened as his footsteps faded, but never turned away from the window. He glared through the binoculars at his targets.

Had it been up to him, he and Rude would've been out there, beating Tseng and Elena's location out of those bastards the moment they'd first turned up. Rufus had expressly forbidden it... and so he was stuck watching from a distance. Worse, he was pretty sure they _knew_ he was watching.

It had started moments after Reno had handed the phone off to Rufus. He'd stepped outside for some air... and in the distance, had spotted the telltale clouds of dust rising from the dry ground. He'd brushed past his compatriots and gone upstairs for a better view. Two of the three had ridden in on motorcycles, racing back and forth across the plains, while the third – most likely the one on the phone with the President – had remained on a hilltop, observing. What their purpose was, Reno hadn't been able to figure out at first... until he'd spotted the _fourth_ rider.

It hadn't taken him long to recognize the man as Cloud Strife. That asshole's ridiculous haircut was probably recognizable even from space. Cloud hadn't seen them coming... or if he had, he hadn't pegged them as a threat. The next thing Reno knew, those assholes were tearing across open ground, chasing one another... chasing Cloud... charging him. Like they were playing a game.

Just like the game they were playing with Shinra.

Reno sighed and leaned back, rubbing his eyes. It was getting dangerously close to two weeks.

When Kadaj... as he'd apparently introduced himself to Rufus before the Turk had finally stormed out... had called him using Elena's PHS, it had almost been a relief in a way. He'd thought the not knowing, at least, was finally over. He wasn't so lucky. Kadaj hadn't said a damn thing about the two missing Turks beyond his initial taunting. He hadn't tried to ransom them, or threatened to kill them if Shinra didn't simply hand over what they wanted. He hadn't acknowledged that they still had them at all... not even when Rufus had demanded they be returned safely before he would discuss terms.

It had left Reno feeling ill. If you had two prisoners you thought you could exchange for something, you didn't hide the fact. In _his_ mind, that meant that either Tseng and Elena had escaped... or they were both dead. And he prayed to every deity he could name that it was the former.

But it was getting harder and harder to hold out hope for an escape. If the pair really _had_ found a means to get themselves out of there... where in the nine hells _were_ they? Why had no one heard from them yet?

And the longer it went on, the worse it got for him at night. Thus far, he'd managed to avoid any further panic attacks... but he certainly wasn't sleeping well. When he slept at all. There had been one or two nights this past week he hadn't even bothered trying, even though he knew he couldn't avoid it indefinitely. For Elena's sake, he couldn'tlet himself break. He wouldn't. Not until he knew one way or the other, anyway. And if she was gone... well, frankly, he wasn't sure what might happen, but he'd deal with _that_ when the news finally came.

The redhead lifted the binoculars back to his eyes and scanned the plains. The two men harassing Strife had definitely broken off pursuit entirely now, as had the dog-like beasts they'd somehow conjured.

The creatures had been unlike anything Reno had ever come across before. They were so lean, they were almost skeletal. Nothing but muscle and bone. The redhead had been quite some distance away, but he'd definitely been able to see claws. Very _large_ claws.

Cloud, meanwhile, had paused looking back at them as they retreated, and Reno imagined that he was wondering much the same thing the Turk was at the moment. Namely... What in Ifrit's name was that all about?

At last, the Solider-turned-delivery-boy turned and continued on his way... towards Healin Lodge.

* * *

"Sir?"

Tseng gave a faint groan as he forced himself into a sitting position. Elena shook her head and rushed over to him, gently pushing him back down.

"You shouldn't be over-exerting yourself, Tseng," she chastised, and received a glower in response.

"I have no intention of simply laying here all day until rescue arrives. I've had enough of _that_ sort of thing to last me a lifetime."

Elena sighed and removed her hand from his chest, allowing him to sit up.

"I'm telling Rufus," she lightly teased.

"Be my guest. I'll happily inform him of the same," the Turk leader replied.

"Then I'm telling Ward."

He eyed her appraisingly, and grudgingly settled back down. "... I would prefer you didn't."

The younger Turk snickered softly in response. Even Tseng could be cowed by the authoritative doctor.

"It's really not as bad as it looks. I've had far worse beatings," Tseng said dismissively, before quickly adding "Though none _specifically_ come to mind at the moment. Not to change the subject, but I don't suppose you happened to catch sight of our ride while you were enjoying yourself on the beach?"

Elena settled herself beside him on the bedroll, hugging her knees to her chest.

"No. But Vincent said it will probably be a few more days."

Tseng nodded and propped himself up against the wall of their shelter, before the pair fell into a companionable silence.

"May I make a request?" he suddenly asked.

"Of course."

Tseng smirked slightly. "I would very much like to be present to see the expression on Reno's face when you tell him he's going to be a father."

Elena giggled and looked over at him. "I'm giving serious consideration to having Rude record it for posterity, sir..." she replied, and the Wutaiian Turk laughed. She let her head lean back, gazing up at the canvas roof. "Do you... Do you think he'll be happy about it?"

"I take it this wasn't planned, then..."

"... No."

"I think that, so long as _you_ are happy, Reno will be happy. Beyond that... to be honest, I've never heard him express any desire for children. But then, it was something of a shock to _me_ when I learned that he'd proposed, as well. He'd never expressed any desire to get married, either." Tseng chuckled softly. "Actually, his opinion on marriage was quite well known amongst the Turks when he was younger."

"What do you mean?"

Tseng shook his head. "Just that he used to be very... _open_... about his disdain for the idea of ceremonially pledging oneself to another. Particularly the handful of times other Turks or their family members were considering it," he replied, and smiled. "And then he fell in love himself... which I think gave him an entirely new perspective on the subject."

Elena returned the smile, and glanced down at the pair of rings on her finger, her thumb gently turning her engagement ring behind her wedding band. She'd been more than a little surprised, too. She hadn't expected it... well... ever, really, knowing Reno. And particularly not as the world was ending. Rude had later told her that Reno had had the ring for nearly two months before he finally asked her.

"You have nothing to worry about, Elena. No matter what his plans for the two of you may have been... he'll love his child as much as he loves you. And he already loves _you_ more than anything in the world."

Elena laughed quietly. That, at least, had never been in doubt.

"I know he does."

* * *

When the door was shoved inward, Reno was ready for it. His EMR caught the edge of the oversized blade in mid-air, and he pushed back to deflect it. His eyes widened slightly when he found there was no give at all. He'd known the bastard was strong, but... damn. The redhead backed off slightly and and brought the mag-rod around for a side attack against his opponent, charging him. If he even wanted to make a dent, he was going to have to put his entire weight behind the blow.

Cloud Strife neatly side-stepped at the last second.

Reno's momentum carried him straight past the man, and through the still-open door behind him. He spun, intent on getting in at least _one_ decent shot before Strife laid him out flat... and came to a very abrupt halt as the door was slammed in his face.

He shrugged and pushed it open, intending to concede. Why Rufus had asked him to challenge the son of a bitch in the first place was beyond him. He was a good fighter in his own right... but Cloud was on a whole other level, and they all knew it.

"Okay... So you're –" The door shut again, and this time, he heard the deadbolt click into place. " – good."

He pressed an ear to the door and heard the telltale sound of approaching footsteps.

"Heh... Yeah, Rude! Lookin' sharp!" he called out in encouragement, knowing that his partner was next in line for whatever little game it was Rufus was playing. It was times like this when the first floor's distinct shortage of windows annoyed the crap out of him. He'd wanted to watch.

It was, ostensibly, a security feature. Before Healin Lodge was a medical facility, it had been a vacation spot for top level Shinra employees and their families. As such, all of the buildings – the one built exclusively for the Shinra family, in particular – were designed to keep out any riffraff that might be foolish enough to follow them up.

That wasn't to say that there weren't _any_ windows down here... Hell, there was a row of _massive_ picture windows directly opposite his current position, that looked out towards the falls. But to reach them, he'd have to go all the way around, shimmy along a very narrow ledge above a very long drop, and potentially miss out on something important in the process. If he'd known the fucker was gonna lock him out, he'd have left the back door open.

The familiar sound of fighting, however, never met his ears. Instead, he now heard Rufus speaking, muffled though it was.

"Rufus Shinra. So... the rumors are true. They really _did_ put you back together again after Midgar. More or less," Strife stated, then paused a moment. "You're _still_ babysitting him? Do I feel sorry for you guys..."

Rude said nothing, as far as Reno could hear, and he smirked. For quite some time, a fair number of people believed Rufus had died in that attack. Truth be told, his injuries were relatively minor... but he'd stayed out of the spotlight for so long afterward that rumors had begun to spread well before he'd been infected with Geostigma. The Turks had let them spread. It was safer for him if no one was quite sure what the truth was.

"When Weapon attacked the city –" Rufus began.

"What do you want from me?"

"– my Turks pulled me out of the building –"

"Who were those guys that attacked me?" Cloud demanded.

"– before the upper floors collapsed –"

"I'm out of here," he said flatly. Reno had sort of figured on this being less than simple. Strife was _not_ a fan.

"We need your help, Cloud," Rufus replied, apparently dropping his pretense.

"Not interested."

"I acknowledge that Shinra owes the planet a great deal. It was Shinra that nearly destroyed it. Therefore, it's our responsibility to do what we can to set things right."

Reno glared at the door. If the fun and games were over, and the President was moving on to the real reason he'd summoned Strife, it was about damn time _someone_ let him back in. This wasn't part of the plan.

"I'm still _out here_..." he called out, irritated.

"As a first step... we began an investigation in Sephiroth's wake, to ensure that what happened once never happens again. Can you guess where we started looking?"

"Heh... the northern crater!" Reno helpfully piped up, hoping that, if Rufus was going to ignore his plight, Cloud might at least show some mercy.

"Sephiroth is dead," Cloud replied, and Reno sighed. Apparently, he was going to have to take matters into his own hands. Ear still pressed against the door, he fished his lock picks from his jacket pocket, and selected one.

"Still... We had to be sure. Would you like to know what we found?" Rufus asked, as Reno slipped the pick into the lock. He hated these damn things. Top of the line, and marketed as unpickable. The first time he'd accidentally locked himself out of the cabin, it had taken him almost a full seven minutes to get it open. And both Rude _and_ Elena had been inside the whole time, snickering quietly as they listened to him swear at it. He was fairly sure the subsequent four times he'd been trapped on the wrong side of the locked door hadn't been an accident, either.

"Nothing..." Rufus continued. "We found nothing. You can relax. However... things didn't go _quite_ as planned."

Reno snorted softly in contempt. _That_ was a bit of an understatement. They'd come home short by two Turks.

"We were... interrupted. By the same three who attacked you. We don't know who they are. Their leader calls himself Kadaj."

"Kadaj?"

Reno only just caught the reply. He'd had to move away from the door slightly to see what he was doing, and both men seemed to have dropped the volume noticeably. The next minute or two, for him at least, consisted of muffled, meaningless nonsense. His eyes narrowed at the lock. This was the sixth goddamned time. That settled it. Security be damned... he was hiding an Ifrit-forsaken key out here later.

"What does this have to do with me?" he suddenly heard Cloud ask, and he smirked.

"We're friends, aren't we?" he shot back, unable to resist goading him just a little. The door shook with the impact of what Reno could only assume was Cloud's boot against it, and the lockpick slipped from his hand. The redhead made a slight sound of concern as it dropped, and snatched at the falling instrument. He missed... and the pick disappeared between the narrow gap between the boards of the walkway.

" _Motherfucker_..." he hissed, as he listened to it clatter off the stones, bouncing down the into the undergrowth in front of the cabin. His favorite pick. It just figured. He dropped to the ground, peering through the slot. There was no sign of it. For a few brief moments, he debated going down after it, but ultimately decided it would have to wait. Reno stood up just as the locked door opened and swung inward slightly.

"What's all this about 'Mother'?" Cloud asked, pausing his bid to leave.

"Why? Did Kadaj mention something?" the President asked.

"Rufus..." he began in a warning tone, "If you're hiding something..."

"I'd never keep a secret. Not from a friend," Rufus replied, and it was only through years of practice that Reno managed to keep a straight face at that claim. "You must want to learn all you can about Geostigma... if only for those orphans you live with. Surely you'd like to see them happy and healthy again... All we want is to rebuild our world, Cloud."

"But..."

"Come on, Cloud. Think about it," Reno added, "With you're help, we could even rebuild Shinra."

The moment the words left his mouth, he knew Rufus was going to murder him for saying that. Strife definitely held a grudge against all things Shinra. Not that the Turk could really blame him for that. He certainly had the right, based on what he'd learned of the man after Sephiroth's defeat.

" _Not_ interested," Cloud stated, and shoved the redhead out of the way.

"Reno!" the two men inside chorused in a mixture of anger and exasperation.

"... Uh... heh... Somethin' I said?" he offered, lamely, as a motorcycle roared to life and then quickly began to fade away as it took off down the cliffside road.

"You simply _cannot_ keep your mouth shut, can you?" Rufus groused. "There's always some idiotic comment you have to make."

Reno stood in the doorway, chastised.

"... Sorry, sir."

Rufus glared at him from beneath his blanket for a moment longer before finally gesturing for him to come inside. "No matter. I never truly expected him to simply join us anyway. My purpose was merely to pass on the information. I suspect that, eventually, he'll have no choice but to get involved."

"Guess it was still a stupid thing to do, though..." Reno said. He kicked the door shut and threw the deadbolt.

"Yes. _Don't_ do it again," Rufus replied, as he wheeled himself out of the room, leaving the two Turks behind. Rude moved to stand beside the redhead... and promptly smacked him in the back of the head.

"Ow! For fuck's sake, I just _said_ it was a stupid thing to do. You don't have to beat the lesson into me..."

Rude smirked slightly but didn't comment.

"Hmph... so we got Cloud on board. Sort of. Now we just gotta find 'Lena and the boss." He groaned and threw himself down onto the couch, folding his hands behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling. "You heard anything from your contacts yet?"

"No," Rude said with a heavy sigh. He moved to gaze out the windows at the back of the room. "Nothing yet."

"Still can't believe this shit's happening. Again. You think those fuckers that are after Jenova _really_ have somethin' to do with Sephiroth? Or are they just... ya know... fanatics or some shit?"

"Don't know. But I'm heading to Edge later. Gonna see if the Shinra office there's heard anything I haven't."

"Tch... The office. Who'da thunk so many people from Midgar'd come back to work after what went down? And they say the _Turks_ are dedicated. Maybe I had somethin' there. Maybe we really _could_ rebuild Shinra Company."

"Not like it went anywhere."

"Yeah... but it's not the same, and you know it," the redhead replied. "People used to respect Shinra. Now... tch. Now they only like havin' us around 'cause we still got enough money to fund shit."

"Those of us who survived have a lot to atone for."

Reno was silent for a moment. "Yeah... Can't argue with that. We damn near obliterated the fuckin' planet. Seriously, man... How the fuck do you atone for somethin' like that?" he asked. He didn't wait for an answer. This was a conversation he and Rude had already had countless times before. And it was always significantly less depressing when they were drunk. "Two _years_. Seems like a lifetime ago, ya know?"

Rude chuckled, and moved to sit next to his partner on the couch. "You got married two years ago, too... That seem like a lifetime ago, too?" he asked, shoving the younger man's feet aside to make room for himself. Reno grinned slightly.

"No... _that_ seems like it happened yesterday." The grin quickly faded, however. "Hope they're alive," he added, sitting up turning away slightly. He swallowed sharply against the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. Rude let his arm settle around the redhead's shoulders.

"Don't start thinking like that. They're gonna be fine. You'll see."

"What if they're not?" he breathed, "What the _fuck_ do we do if they're not? What the fuckdo _I_ do if _she's_ not? It won't just break me, Rude. It'll kill me."

"That's not going to happen. I won't let it."

Reno felt his friend's grip tighten around him, and closed his eyes. If something really did happen to Elena, and she never came back, he didn't think even Rude would be strong enough to hold him together.

"... Our second anniversary's next month," he whispered.

"And you're gonna celebrate it _with_ her. You can't start obsessing over the worst case scenario. You know what'll happen if you do."

He'd be useless... that's what would happen. Trapped in the mire of his own mind. Probably even worse than he'd been after Sector Seven.

"Yeah. I know," he replied, taking a deep breath and sitting up straight. "I'm _not_ goin' down that path again. Don't fuckin' let me."

Rude squeezed his shoulder one last time and got to his feet. "I'm making pizza tonight. What do you want on it? And don't you dare say pineapple. Pineapple does _not_ belong on pizza."

Reno snorted softly. "Bullshit," he shot back. "And you're willingly lowering yourself to the level a filthy pizza chef? Man... you really _must_ be worried about me."

Before Rude could retort, the room lights flickered. A small movement near the door caught the redhead's eye, and he slowly got to his feet, staring in horror as thick black smoke began to pour through the cracks. It swirled lazily near the floor for a few moments, and both Turks took a step back.

"Get Rufus outta here..." Reno said, urgently. "Take him out the back."

He didn't have the chance. The smoke began to take on a new form, coalescing into a figure. By the time Rude had reached the hallway, it was too late.

Kadaj stepped forward, his body slowly becoming more and more solid. He stood before Reno, and smiled cruelly.

"Found you," he said, with a malicious laugh.

~end chapter 7~


	8. The Attack

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 8: The Attack**

 **by Desha**

He didn't have time to move... which, for Reno, was saying something. Kadaj's fist slammed brutally into his gut, doubling the Turk over and dropping him to his knees. He recovered enough to dart backwards before the second strike hit him... but it ultimately didn't matter. While he'd been watching the younger man's left hand, his right had snatched the EMR from Reno's belt. The redhead heard the familiar crackle of electricity, and a half second later, sizzling pain lanced through his chest. He collapsed at Kadaj's feet, muscles still twitching from the electric shock, and unable to do much more than wheeze.

It had happened so fast...

"One more step and I'll finish him off."

Rude froze, turning back to look at the intruder.

"Now be a good little lapdog, and fetch the President for me," Kadaj continued.

"No need for that," a voice interrupted, and Reno could hear the sound of Rufus' wheelchair rolling into the room. He tried to speak, to yell at the little idiot to get the hell out of there, but all he could manage at the moment was a loud gasping moan. How fucking high had his mag-rod been set at? He couldn't seem to remember. Judging by his reaction, though... pretty goddamn high.

Kadaj stepped over Reno's prone form, and a moment later, the Turk heard a second crackle and a strained cry. Something heavy dropped to the floor. Rude.

"Boy, do I hate liars..." Kadaj intoned, and Reno strained to turn to face the direction his voice was coming from. His body didn't seem to want to cooperate. Something clattered to the floor, and a few seconds later, his electro-mag rod rolled across the floor and into his field of view. "You told me he had Mother. But he didn't."

"I apologize," Rufus responded in a surprisingly calm tone. "The truth is our cargo fell from the helicopter while my associates here were running from you. I'm afraid they were careless."

Had he been capable of it, Reno would have glared at him for that little insult. Though he had to admin... misdirection wasn't a terrible plan, given the circumstances.

"Is that right... ?"

He wasn't buying it. There was no doubt in Reno's mind that Kadaj knew Rufus was lying through his teeth.

"I swear it," the President replied. Reno finally regained enough control over his muscles to claw his way around to face the two men. Rude lay nearby, in much the same state as himself.

"Fine. Then swear on these." Kadaj tossed something onto the coffee table... and whatever it was, the effect it had on Rufus was obvious.

"Why did you do this?" he asked, angrily, and the Turk suddenly found himself desperate to see what their enemy had shown him. Kadaj circled the wheelchair, smiling coldly.

"We need Mother's power. The Reunion is coming... and we need her."

Reno coughed faintly. It was getting easier to breathe... and he wasn't convulsing quite so badly now. Kadaj looked down at him and smirked.

"Reunion?" Rufus asked, drawing his attention away from the injured Turk.

"My brothers and sisters who share Mother's cells will all assemble... and together, we'll take our revenge on this planet. We've already sent out the invitations..." he replied. "But _you've_ gone and hidden the guest of honor... haven't you, Mr. President?"

"What invitations?"

Kadaj chuckled mirthlessly. "Why... Geostigma, of course," he replied, his twisted smile widening. He reached out and lifted the corner of the blanket away from Rufus' hand. "Ah... I see you've received yours already. Mother's legacy... It created the Stigma. And it created me. That's why we need her. Geostigma and a legacy aren't enough. Not for a true Reunion. When I find where you've hidden her... I will be whole again."

"What do you mean?" Reno could hear an edge to Rufus' voice now... and the Turk suddenly realized just how afraid his charge truly was. Kadaj knelt in front of him, gazing upwards at his face.

"Surely you've figured it out by _now_..."

Whatever Rufus saw in that moment was enough to silence him, and when Kadaj finally stood, Reno could see the executive's face. He was pale. Reno forced himself upwards, off of the floor, propping himself up on one elbow, and reached for his discarded weapon as Kadaj slipped behind Rufus and began pushing his chair forward. His fingers closed weakly around the handle just as the pair passed by. Kadaj paused for a moment and looked down at him, smiling thinly... and kicked him in the head.

That was the last thing Reno remembered.

* * *

"There!"

Elena peered out into the distance, and finally picked out the tiny silhouette Vincent was pointing to against the waves.

"I'll get Tseng," she said. The former Turk nodded in acknowledgment, and she took off toward the treeline, following the wide path that led to the Bone Village. When she got there, she found Tseng leaning heavily against the trunk of a tree, apparently resting after having made his way out of the tent.

"Elena?" he queried when he noticed her approach.

"You're _supposed_ to be laying down, sir." Her tone was exasperated, but really... she was glad to see him on his feet again. Even if he _had_ looked better. She slipped beneath his arm, offering her support. "Our ride's here."

Tseng straightened, the prospect of finally leaving for home lending him strength for the moment, and the pair made their way down to the beach as quickly as they could. When they arrived, they found a fire burning on the sand, and a boat drawing closer and closer to shore.

"I was beginning to think we might be living here on a more permanent basis..." Tseng said as they approached, and Vincent glanced back at him.

"Mmm... I was _starting_ to get a bit concerned myself."

* * *

He woke to the sound of voices... though it took several moments before he could make any sense of their words. Something cold was pressed against the side of his head, and he sighed softly as it took away some of the pain.

"Reno? Can yeh hear me?"

The redhead groaned softly and forced his eyes open.

"Yeah, Doc... I can hear ya. Now lower the volume, will ya? I got the mother of all headaches..."

"Hmph. That's gratitude for yeh..." Dr. Ward replied, with a relieved smile. Reno caught sight of Rude hovering worriedly just over the woman's shoulder.

"Rufus?"

Rude shook his head. "Gone."

"Fuck. Any idea where?"

"... No." He tucked his PHS back into his jacket. "But one of my contacts just let me know the other two were spotted in Edge about fifteen minutes ago."

Reno got to his feet, still holding the ice pack to his head.

"And just where do yeh think _yer_ going?"

"Soon as my ears stop ringin', I'm goin' to Edge to beat the ever-livin' shit outta those fuckers." He ignored the disparaging look his language received from the good doctor, and turned to Rude. "You good with that, partner?"

"Ready when you are."

Ward made a noise of disapproval, but said nothing. Instead, she retrieved a bottle from her bag and shook two pills into the palm of her hand.

"Fer the headache," she said, offering them to him. He downed them and smirked.

"What? No demands I stay put and let you torture me?"

"Hmph... As if yeh'd actually listen," Ward replied with a derisive snort. She, too, stood and began packing supplies back into her medical bag. "Well? Go on then. Just _try_ ta bring yer sorry backside home in one piece fer once. I have more than enough ta keep me busy without having ta patch yeh up every other second."

"Heh... No promises, Doc." He turned to Rude. "I'll get the copter ready. You raid the weapons closet."

Rude nodded, and the redhead hurried off, leaving him alone with Ward.

"... Need a favor," he said when his partner was out of earshot.

"And just what sort of favor might that be?"

The bald Turk reached into his jacket and withdrew a pair of Shinra ID cards... Tseng and Elena's photographs stared back at him from behind a spattering of dried blood. He handed them to the doctor.

"Don't tell Reno."

Dr. Ward's face fell, and she blinked back tears. "Oh, sweet Shiva..." she breathed, hesitantly taking the cards from him.

"... I can't get Rufus back on my own," he added. "And if this means what I think it means, he'll either give up entirely... or do something stupid."

"So that's yer answer, then. Just hide it from him instead of letting him mourn."

Rude looked away guiltily. He didn't _want_ to lie to his best friend. But he also didn't want to lose _him_ , as well. The moment he'd spotted those IDs sitting unassumingly on the coffee table, he'd known that he couldn't let Reno see them. Not until this was over.

"... Please."

The doctor glared at him, and hastily shoved the ID cards into her bag.

"Fer the record, I don't approve," she said, angrily. "... but I'll keep quiet fer the time being, if only ta prevent him from going off half-cocked and getting _himself_ killed."

Rude nodded in acknowledgment, and turned to go and retrieve the weapons from the secure locker.

"Yeh look after him, Rude," Ward called as he was leaving, "And yeh look after yerself, too."

* * *

"As soon as we arrive in Kalm –"

"Don't wait for us," Tseng said firmly, cutting off the former Turk. "With us gone, those three will be going after Jenova directly, assuming they haven't already. Elena and I will try to get ahold of a phone... but if we can't, the others need to be warned as soon as possible. We'll only slow you down."

"You're sure?" Vincent asked and the Turk leader nodded.

"We'll make our way back on our own."

"As you wish," he replied.

Elena approached him and laid a hand on his arm.

"If you see Reno and Rude before we do... tell them we're okay."

"I will."

The tiny marina north of Kalm wasn't yet in sight. It would be several more hours before they arrived. Tseng cautiously prodded his tender ribs, and winced. They would ache for some time, he was sure, and the constant rocking of the boat certainly wasn't helping any... but they'd feel much better once they were properly wrapped and his movements restricted. Some painkillers wouldn't hurt, either.

"The first thing we're going to do when we get there is find you a doctor," said Elena.

"No... the first thing we're going to do is find a _phone_."

The younger Turk smiled slightly and shook her head. She gently grasped his arm, coaxing him back towards the cabin the crew of the supply ship had lent to them.

"I'm sure the _doctor_ will have one, sir."

* * *

The helicopter touched down with a soft bump on the roof of the Shinra offices in Edge. The building was tiny compared to Shinra's former headquarters... but then, with most of the company's operations now being run from Junon, it was really more of a satellite branch than anything else. Mostly, the staff there just oversaw the development projects in Edge. The place was full of architects and engineers, rather than scientists and Soldiers.

Reno and Rude stepped out into the warm summer sun. Any other day, the redhead would have been tempted to take his time wandering the streets of the new city. It wasn't Midgar... not by a long shot... but it was close enough that he always seemed to feel at home there.

Healin Lodge was beautiful. It was quiet. It was peaceful. But Reno had lived most of his life in the city... and there were occasions when he missed the noise and the people and the urban chaos.

Today, though, he had no time to enjoy the sights and sounds that were so familiar to him.

"Which way?" he asked as they made their way along one of the main streets. Rude nodded toward the city center.

"Said she'd meet us at the Plaza."

The Plaza was what the locals had taken to calling the the area surrounding the memorial statue near the center of Edge. It commemorated those lost when Meteor had decimated Midgar, and was the point from which the entire city had begun to spiral outward.

It didn't take them long to reach it.

"Hmm... Over there," Rude said, angling towards an alley just north of the statue. An older woman, probably in her late fifties, stood in the shadows. She eyed the redhead somewhat warily as the two men approached, but seemed satisfied that he wasn't a threat.

"What's going on?" Rude asked without preamble, as they joined her.

"Like I said on the phone... two men. White hair, dressed in black. I didn't see 'em until they were leavin', but my neighbor says they were here for hours. Lookin' for the kids."

"What kids?" Reno asked.

"The ones with the Stigma. They piled as many as they could find into an old pickup truck and the one with the long hair took off with 'em."

"What about the other?" Rude queried.

The woman shook her head. "He headed off towards the ruins on a motorcycle."

Reno glanced over at his partner. "What the hell do they want with a bunch of sick kids?"

"My grandson... he's got it, too. He said they claimed to have a cure. But somethin' about those two didn't sit right with him. He came home instead of goin' off with 'em."

Lucky he did, Reno thought to himself. Both for their sake _and_ his. Ifrit only knew what those assholes were going to do to them.

"Any idea where they were heading?"

"Not sure about the truck. It was on the road out of town. But the one on the bike looked to be headin' for the old Sector Five slums."

"Guess we start there, then," Reno said, and his partner nodded in agreement.

The woman looked at them anxiously for a moment. "You... You don't think they _really_ have a cure. Do you?" she asked, and Reno suspected she was wondering if her grandson had made the right choice in staying behind.

"No," he said, definitively, "I think they want to use those kids for their _own_ sick plans..."

~end chapter 8~


	9. The Children

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 9: The Children**

 **by Desha**

"... Do we even know where we're going?" Rude asked. They'd... _borrowed_... a vehicle back in Edge. Apparently, being somewhat out of practice at it wasn't enough to prevent the redhead from hotwiring a delivery truck. The were presently making their way into the ruins of Midgar.

"Tch... Really only one thing still standin' in this sector, far as _I_ know." He nodded toward the crumbling steeple in the distance.

Aerith's church. Or at least that's what the Turks had called it for years. Ifrit only knew what the original name was. It had been lost ages ago, along with the names of the towns Midgar had been built on top of. Somehow, the building had – mostly – survived the destruction of the city. The plate above it was long gone, the neighboring structures had been reduced to rubble... and yet the church still stood, a lone monument amongst the decay.

They drove in silence for a few more minutes, careful of the debris piles. Suddenly, Rude elbowed him, and Reno braked hard. A motorcycle was parked right in front of the building. He shifted into reverse, and backed up, hiding their appropriated truck behind the remains of a stone wall.

"Whatdya think? This gonna be two on one, or ya think they're _all_ in there?" Reno asked.

"... Only one way to find out."

The pair of Turks quietly slipped out of the cab of the truck, and circled around to the front of the church, careful to avoid being spotted by any sentries that might be keeping a look out. But the whole sector was strangely quiet. Save for the motorcycle, there was no indication that anyone had been here in months.

The door of the church was slightly ajar, and Reno cautiously peered inside. There was no movement within. He gestured to Rude to cover him, and slowly eased the door open enough for the two men to creep inside.

The first thing he spotted was a worn wooden pew... one of over a dozen scattered throughout the sanctuary. But this one was special. It was where he'd proposed as the world had threatened to cave in around him. The second thing he spotted was the pew next to it. It had been broken in two, as though something had collided with it with great force. He knelt beside it for a moment, examining it. The damage was recent. The jagged edges of the wood were freshly fractured... they hadn't been exposed to the elements for long.

Reno stood, and the duo moved farther into the church, eyes scanning the shadows for threats. Midway down the center aisle, they froze, both having seen the same thing lying in the patch of flowers near the alter.

"S'pose they're dead'?" he asked, and Rude shrugged. A few more strides brought them to the edge of the flowers. Rude dropped to one knee beside the motionless form of Tifa Lockheart, and pressed two fingers to the side of her neck.

"She's alive. What about Strife?"

Reno looked up from his own examination. "Yep. Soldier-boy's still breathin', too." He tapped the other man's face with the palm of his hand, trying to rouse him, but whatever had happened, Cloud was out cold. "... S'pose this means we gotta take 'em with us."

Rude nodded and calmly lifted Tifa into his arms, cradling her carefully.

"H-hey! You're not leavin' _me_ to drag _this_ asshole outta here, are ya? Rude?" he called after him, but received only a shrug in response. The redhead sighed, and hoisted Cloud off the ground as well, pulling his arm over his shoulders and half-carrying, half-dragging him back towards the entrance. "Tch... _Knew_ he still had a thing for her," he muttered.

* * *

"Tell me, Mr. President... Do you imagine you wield any _real_ power?"

Rufus didn't answer immediately. He was more concerned with figuring out just _where_ the younger man had taken him. He wasn't even entirely certain how they'd gotten here... let alone where 'here' was. Water dripped in a slow, steady cadence from the pipes that ran above his head, and the narrow corridor was dimly lit by bare bulbs. He had the distinct impression that they were underground... a basement, perhaps, or an access tunnel.

"I suppose that depends on your definition of 'power'," he said at last, and Kadaj chuckled mirthlessly.

"You never give a straight answer, do you, Mr. President?" He continued pushing Rufus' chair, unhurried, down the long corridor, never varying his speed. "Mother's power is real. And soon it will be mine. Mother will make me... will make all of her children... whole again. And I will lead them."

"You? Are you so sure of that?" Rufus asked, "It seems to me that you're only a surrogate."

Kadaj brought them to an abrupt stop, and judging by the soft creak of leather near his ears, he'd just angrily clenched his gloved hands. A moment later, he started forward again.

"I am a vessel," he replied.

It had only been suspicion until now. Back at Healin, Kadaj had shown him a glimpse of what lay beneath the surface. Now Rufus was certain. Somehow... Sephiroth lived in this creature born of Jenova.

"Hmm... and what becomes of the vessel when the mother makes it whole?"

"If you tell me where she is... perhaps I'll let you find out," Kadaj replied, and Rufus could practically _hear_ the icy smile he was certain he now wore.

"Haven't you figured it out yet? Maybe you'd like a hint... She's in a place I couldn't forget if I tried."

Kadaj stopped in front of a door and stepped out from behind the chair to push it open. Ahead of him, Rufus saw a tiny, windowless space.

"We'll see if you're still so cryptic tomorrow morning," he replied, and wheeled the President into the little room. Kadaj turned him around so he was facing the door, and calmly stepped back out into the corridor. "... if _I_ don't forget you're here, that is."

He turned and shut the door behind him, and Rufus was left in darkness.

* * *

"Huh... Ya know, I really woulda thought these two were fucking by now," Reno commented, as he absently riffled through the large vanity against the wall.

"... What makes you think they're not?" his partner asked. "And would you quit going through the drawers? Have a little respect."

Reno snorted softly. "Says the guy who specializes in everyone else's business. Remind me... which of us got himself an official writeup... heh... and a black eye... for sneakin' a peak at Cissnei's diary as a rookie? 'Sides... I _know_ they're not gettin' it on. No condoms, no toys, no lingerie. And trust me, with a rack like that, she'd have _somethin'_ skimpy in here if she was gettin' some on a regular basis."

"Not everyone has a sex drawer in their bedroom like you do."

"S'pose you're right..." the redhead said with a shrug. He smirked, and added, "... And for the record, we've had to expand things to the closet at this point."

"... More than I needed to know, Reno."

His grin widened noticeably. "... 'Lena's got this seriously _hot_ little lace thing that she –" His grin suddenly faded, and he looked away. "... I gotta stop doin' that," he said softly. "I start thinkin' about how amazing she is, and I forget for just a second that... she's not back home waitin' for me."

Reno glanced over at their two unconscious allies, each lying on one of the beds. He really _was_ a little surprised that the pair seemed to be more roommates than bedmates. He'd definitely gotten the impression that there was _something_ between them. Particularly since they seemed to be raising two kids, if the photos he'd seen were any indication. Marlene was clearly under their care, with her own father off fuck knew where looking for oil or coal or whatever it was he was after. The other kid... a young boy... Reno didn't recognize. Though, he supposed, it must have been the 'Denzel' that Marlene had mentioned at their recent encounter.

Speaking of the kids...

"Where do ya s'pose the rugrats are?" Neither Marlene nor the other child had been downstairs in the bar when they'd arrived... and they hadn't returned in the half hour or so the two Turks had been there, either. Rude shook his head.

"... Hope they were smart enough to stay away from our new _friends_."

"Yeah... me, too," Reno agreed. He sighed. "For fuck's sake... these two ever gonna wake up? We probably coulda caught up to the _other_ fucker by now if we weren't sittin' here babysittin'."

"... I don't like leaving them like this."

"Me neither. But they're a lot safer than Rufus is right now. And 'Lena and Tseng. Come on. They'll be fine, and we've wasted enough time."

"..." Rude silently stood and made his way over to the door. Just as the redhead reached out to open it, a sudden movement from across the room stopped him. Both Turks turned just in time to see Cloud sit up. A moment later, the man spotted Tifa and somewhat shakily got to his feet, rushing over to check on her.

"Tch... You weigh a ton, ya know," Reno commented, and Cloud spun to face him, eyes narrowed, ready for a fight.

"Weren't there some kids living with you?" Rude asked.

"'Cause they ain't here..." his partner added, with a decidedly accusing look. His meaning was clear. If Strife hadn't walked out on Rufus... maybe this could've been avoided. Strife's gaze fell to the floor, unable to meet the Turk's eyes. He turned to look back at Tifa.

"You don't care?" Reno asked, a little colder than necessary.

"I just..." Cloud began, only to trail off. The redhead rolled his eyes.

"Man, you're a real pain in the ass." He turned on his heel and and left him alone, Rude not far behind, pulling the door shut behind him. If missing kids weren't enough to get that fucker to lend a hand, Reno didn't know what was.

And they didn't have time right now to stick around and try to find out.

* * *

The wind had picked up, and the waves had grown along with the gusts. The wind and the waves were no longer any of their concern, however. Elena stepped off of the dock and back onto dry land, and gave a little sigh of relief as Tseng followed.

"I suppose this is where we part ways," Vincent said, joining the pair.

"We'll head home ourselves as soon as possible. We'll meet you at Healin," Tseng replied, but the former Turk shook his head.

"I'll warn your Turks first, and make sure what's left of Jenova is safe... but then I'm going on to Edge. We're going to need more help."

"Strife?" the Turk leader assumed. Vincent nodded.

"Tifa, as well... and Reeve and his robot. And perhaps others, if they can be contacted in time."

"Good luck, then."

Vincent made a slight bow and was off, his long, red cape trailing behind him in the wind. Elena took hold of Tseng's arm and began to pull him toward town.

"Come on. Let's get you patched up, sir."

"Quickly. The sooner we're on our way, the better."

"... I hope everyone's alright," Elena said as they made their way down the unpaved road that led from the little port to the village a short distance away.

"I'm sure they are. Likely worried sick, by now, but those two can manage quite well on their own."

"I hope so," she reiterated, dropping her gaze to the path at her feet.

"Something troubling you?"

Elena shook her head, and smiled. "Not really... just... I suppose I wish I'd said _something_ to Reno as soon as I realized I might be... you know. Even if it had turned out to be nothing. At least then, he'd know. In case something happened to one of us."

"I would normally agree with such sentiments... but in this case, I think perhaps it's better that you didn't."

She looked up in surprise. "Sir?"

Tseng chuckled softly. "Reno is protective _enough_ of you as it is. Just imagine how beside himself he would be right now if he knew you were carrying his child, as well."

"... You're right," she said with a sigh. "He'd be an absolute basketcase, wouldn't he?"

Tseng paused and took hold of her hand. "You'll have ample time to tell him when we return."

Elena's smile returned, and they continued on for a few more minutes in silence. The younger Turk suddenly grinned widely.

"You know, Tseng... With Reno and I having a baby, don't you think it's about time that _you_ finally thought about maybe settling down with Viridia?"

The Turk leader smirked. "And just who would babysit if I'm off spending all of my free time in Junon? Of your three options, I happen to be the _only_ one who grew up with younger siblings. I'm fairly certain that neither Rufus nor Rude would be overly enthusiastic about changing diapers."

* * *

"The tracks stop down there," Rude said, his voice overly loud in Reno's ears. The redhead turned down the volume on his headset slightly.

"Well, they didn't just drive off into the fuckin' ocean. And there's no way they're on foot. There's fuck all for cover out here. We'd be able to see 'em."

He circled the area where the tire tracks disappeared again, but saw nothing to indicate that any of the truck's passengers had disembarked. Reno glanced over at his fellow Turk.

"Any ideas?"

"You saw how Kadaj got into Healin... Maybe the others can do that, too?"

"And take along a truck full of kids?" he dubiously asked. "Seems a little farfetched."

Rude shrugged. "And turning into smoke to get through a locked door isn't?"

"... Point taken." He gazed through the cockpit's windshield, out at the vast expanse of ocean to the north. "Okay... So then where the fuck'd they _go_?"

"Tracks lead north."

It made sense. They'd first encountered the strange young men at the northern crater. The crater was the center of Sephiroth's attempt to destroy the planet. They'd found what was left of Jenova in the crater and it was where Tseng and Elena had been kidnapped. Why wouldn't that also be where their quarry was hiding out? There was just one problem...

"We searched the fuckin' crater. We didn't find shit."

"... Got a better idea?"

Reno sighed. He really didn't.

"North it is..."

~end chapter 9~


	10. The Search

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 10: The Search**

 **by Desha**

"You seein' anything yet?" Reno asked, and Rude shook his head. They'd circled the lip of the crater and then descended below the cloud layer into the depression itself, slowly scanning the vast area. There was little to see that they hadn't already seen. Certainly nothing to indicate that their quarry was using the location as a base of operations, or a prison for the children they'd taken.

"What about the forest? Seems like it'd be a good place to hide," Rude pointed out.

"S'pose it's possible... but we're not gonna see shit from the air. I went over it the last time I was up here. Twice. The fuckin' trees are just too thick."

Still... it wasn't as if they were accomplishing anything down here. Reno pulled back on the stick, sending them skyward again. Once they were clear, he directed the helicopter out towards the sprawling forest on the eastern side of of the continent.

"There aren't even any fuckin' roads up here, if they're still in that truck somehow. 'Bout the only thing even _on_ this half of the continent is that camp the archeologists were usin' for awhile," he added. "Guess it's worth a look, at least."

Some ten minutes later, the pair had landed on the beach just south of the Bone Village. Rude was making his way towards the overgrown trail... but something on the sand had caught Reno's eye. The redhead knelt next to the remains of a fairly large fire. He held his hand out, over the charred wood, and was a little surprised to feel a small amount of heat coming off of it.

"Hey... Partner!" he called out, and Rude turned back from his own investigation. The bald Turk joined him momentarily. "Still warm. This was burnin' not too long ago. Maybe a day."

"... Someone's been on that trail, too," Rude replied. "Counted at least two clear sets of footprints. Very possibly three. Looks like they came and went a few times."

"Sounds like we better check out that camp." He stood, and the two Turks cautiously made their way towards the Bone Village, pausing in the underbrush on the periphery of the camp, watching.

"Doesn't look like anyone's here..." Rude noted.

"Yeah. It doesn't _look_ like it. Stay here and cover me. I'm gonna check out a few of those tents."

The redhead darted from cover and crept stealthily towards the first of the structures, peering inside. There was sleeping bag on a pallet, as well as a pile of blankets that looked suspiciously like a second makeshift bed., and a crate of supplies that seemed to have been picked through a few times. Like the fire on the beach, he doubted it had been there for long. Animals would have found it eventually if it had, and aside from being less than carefully packed, the contents of the crate were intact.

He moved to the bedroll. Blood stained the fabric in a few places, and he spotted a pile of discarded bandages nearby. Someone had been hurt, and their injuries treated here. Reno frowned slightly. Something told him that whoever it was, it wasn't one of the trio of silver-haired men they were chasing. _Nothing_ seemed to injure those bastards.

With that in mind, he moved quickly to clear the other tents, and after confirming that they, too, were empty, waved for Rude to join him.

"Find anything interesting?" he asked, appearing from his hiding place.

"Well... someone's definitely been here recently. Least one of 'em was hurt. Left a bunch of camping shit behind, so either they left in a hurry or they're plannin' on comin' back. My money's on leavin' in a hurry if they had injuries to take care of."

"Hmph... So the question is, where'd they come from?"

"Only two options there, partner," Reno replied. "Either they came up from the beach, or outta the forest. _I'm_ guessing that fire on the beach was a signal fire. Maybe they were lookin' to get rescued by a passing boat."

"And given that they're not _here_ anymore, seems like they caught one's attention not too long ago."

"... Whaddya s'pose the odds are?"

"Of what?" Rude asked.

"That it was 'Lena and Tseng tryin' to get outta here before those fuckers caught up to 'em."

Rude shook his head. "Kinda grasping at straws. Could've been anyone," he replied, but frowned thoughtfully. "But... if they did escape from somewhere nearby and were stuck here all this time... it _would_ explain why they never contacted us." He glanced back down the trail again, silent for a moment.

"What are you thinkin' partner?"

"Three sets of footprints. Who the hell's the third belong to?"

"... Maybe one of those assholes _did_ catch up to 'em."

The two men looked at one another for a few seconds, before simultaneously turning and heading for the trees.

* * *

Elena sighed and hung up the phone. She'd tried all of their numbers. All three had eventually gone to voicemail. She'd finally left a message on Reno's. Hopefully, he'd get it soon. She turned back to the Turk leader, who winced as the young doctor added a few more stitches to his forehead.

"I take it there was no answer..." he said.

"No... I had to leave a message." Elena glanced up at the doctor. "How is he?"

"Oh... he'll be fine. But... er... he should _really_ take it easy for awhile. And I wish you'd stay long enough for me to get an x-ray..."

"We don't have time for trivialities," Tseng said firmly, as the stitches were being covered with fresh bandage. "Are you finished?"

"I-I... well... yes, I suppose so..."

"Good." He swung himself off of the table, flinching in pain as his newly wrapped ribs protested sharply. "Elena. We're leaving."

"Tseng..." she started, but the look in his eyes made her stop and simply shake her head. "Yes, sir..." she grudgingly agreed. No amount of arguing was going to make him stay put any longer than he had to. At least the worst of it had been seen to. Once they reached Healin, she'd slip out and see if Ward was in today. Tseng might _attempt_ to argue with the good doctor, but odds were he'd fail.

As they stepped out into the waning sunlight, Tseng suddenly stopped short, eyes turning toward the southern sky. The younger Turk was about to question him on the matter, but before she could, the familiar sound met _her_ ears as well, and she quickly followed his gaze.

"Supplies from Junon," he stated, eyes firmly locked on the tiny specs visible against the clouds.

"Are they headed here?"

"They must be... They're much too far east to be bound for Edge," he replied, smiling slightly. "I think, Elena, that we have just found our ride home."

* * *

It was growing dark by the time they found their way to the ruins. Reno hadn't even realized they'd been on a road at first, it was so ancient and overgrown... but eventually, they began to see the remains of markers, and then small structures.

"The fuck is this place?" Reno asked as they reached the top of cliff, and found themselves gazing out over what was left of a very old city. "And how the fuck did we not see it from the air?"

"Hmph... the valley and the forest must have hidden it," Rude noted. "... The forgotten city of the Ancients."

"... You wanna run that by me again?" the redhead asked, one eyebrow rising. Rude snorted softly.

"It's an old Cetra city. It's what the people running the Bone Village were looking for, before the mako contamination from the crater ran them out. Supposed to have been the capital city of their empire."

"Tch... Why do you just randomly know shit like that?"

Rude smirked. "Because _some_ of us spend our free time enriching ourselves instead of playing video games?"

"Fuckin' nerd," he responded, teasingly. Reno leaned forward, peering over the top of a large rock, down into the valley. "... Well, fuck me..." he breathed.

"I'll pass." His partner quickly joined him, however, and it didn't take him long to spot what had caught Reno's eye.

"Rude... Am I seein' things, or is that like... damn near every kid in Edge?"

They were still some distance off, but the crowd was hard to miss. There was a lot more than just a truckload of children down there. They numbered thirty or forty, easily... and there could be more hidden amongst the trees, for all they knew.

"What could they want with so many of them?" Rude asked. The redhead shrugged. Fuck if he knew... but whatever it was, it probably wasn't anything good. That, however, was of secondary concern. Reno sought out the masterminds of this little gathering, and eventually spotted two of them near a small lake.

"Found the assholes that nabbed 'em. Don't see their boss, though. Come on... Looks like they're busy keepin' an eye on the kids. Let's get in a little closer and see if we can't find a few _other_ prisoners they might be hidin'."

The pair scrabbled down the small cliff, avoiding the path that led into the city, and skirted the large gathering, keeping to the shadows of the trees. As much as he would have liked to hurry, the last thing Reno wanted to do was get caught in enemy territory. Soon enough, though, they were clear of prying eyes. They could still hear the sounds of uncertain conversation in the distance, and both men kept quiet as they crept from one building to the next, peeking through windows and half-open doors in their search for their missing comrades.

"... Look at this," Rude said in a hushed tone as they approached the next small building. A heavy lock hung from the door, badly damaged. The redhead hefted it in one hand, pulling it free of the hasp and studying it.

"Shot open," he replied, just as quietly. He eased the door open, and slipped inside. Rude hurried to follow. The room beyond was empty... but clearly hadn't been in the recent past. Blood had dried in spatters on one wall and the floor nearby, and a brownish red handprint decorated the arm of a small chair in the corner. Reno had seen that pattern enough times in the interrogation room back at Shinra Headquarters to have a pretty good idea what had caused it and how much force was required to speckle the ceiling with blood as well.

"They wanted information," Rude said, darkly.

"... And knowin' Tseng, they didn't get shit. 'Lena wouldn't've talked, either." His eyes narrowed angrily. Those scum were going to pay for hurting her. He turned and headed for the door, only to be brought to a rather abrupt halt as Rude seized him by the shoulder and hauled him back around.

"Don't even think about it."

"Rude, don't you fuckin' try to –"

"There are two of them out there. The third is _probably_ around here somewhere. We know they've got Rufus, not to mention all those kids out there. You can't just get pissed off and walk out there, guns blazing. _Think_ , Reno. It's what you're good at. "

Reno scowled, but backed down. Rude was right. Going on the offensive right now would almost certainly result in them getting their asses kicked. And that was the _best_ case scenario. No... they couldn't do this alone.

"Let's go."

"Where?" Rude asked, following the Turk's second in command.

"Tch... Where dya think? We're heading back to Edge. We wanna have any kind of chance at savin' _anyone_ from these fuckers, we're gonna need some backup."

~end chapter 10~


	11. The Return

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 11: The Return**

 **by Desha**

The pilot hadn't been happy. In fact, if Tseng hadn't been with her, she wasn't entirely sure he'd have backed down at all, given her current lack of a company ID and her borderline-filthy uniform. The Turk leader projected a level of authority she doubted she could ever even _hope_ to match.

… Though subtly dropping Viridia's name _probably_ hadn't hurt, either.

A pilot from Junon might not necessarily recognize one of the Turks on sight, but they damn well knew who Captain Viridia Nacelle was. In fact, it was quite likely that the recently-promoted captain was going to be receiving an urgent message from the crew they'd ejected from their aircraft a few minutes ago.

And sure enough, almost as soon as she'd thought it, the radio crackled.

" _Copter 7, this is Junon base. Come in, please."_

Tseng's lips quirked upwards as he pointedly ignored the request... until a new voice came on.

" _Goddamnit, Tseng, if that's really you up there, you pick up this radio right_ _ **now**_ _!"_

The Wutaiian Turk quickly reached for the receiver and depressed the button. "Copter Seven here... Something I can help you with, Captain?"

" _Oh, thank Kjata..."_ came the relieved response, though it quickly turned furious. _"You! Do you have_ _ **any**_ _idea how worried I've been? Reno told me you disappeared almost two_ _ **weeks**_ _ago! And now you turn up in Kalm and don't even bother to call me? I have to hear about it from some poor, terrified second lieutenant_ _ **after**_ _you hijacked one of my helicopters and flew off to Shiva only knows where! Just_ _ **wait**_ _until I get my hands on you, Tseng!"_

Elena couldn't help but giggle softly. "I think she's upset with you, sir..."

Tseng shook his head. "Elena... believe me. You have never seen my dear Viridia _truly_ angered," he replied fondly, and turned his attention back to the radio. "I apologize.. but we were in something of a rush. I _did_ promise to return it."

" _It had_ _ **better**_ _be in one piece when you do!"_ There was a brief pause. _"And_ _ **you**_ _had better be, too."_

"I intend to be. Have you heard from Reno _recently_? We've been unable to contact him thus far."

" _No... I'm sorry, but I haven't. The last message we had from Healin was two days ago. Standard data transmission and supply requests. No other news."_

"... I see. Alright. On the off chance he should contact you in the next half hour or so, let him know we're en route to Healin now."

" _Of course. And Tseng... be careful. If you go out and get yourself killed, I will_ _ **never**_ _forgive you!"_

Tseng chuckled quietly. "Viridia, I would bargain my soul to Hades himself to return from the dead if it meant avoiding the full force of your wrath."

" _Well, I should certainly_ _ **hope**_ _so._ _"_

* * *

Reno could hear voices as he and Rude mounted the stairs... a fairly intense conversation, but it didn't seem to be an argument. Yet. As the two Turks reached the landing, Reno swung the door inward silently.

"Tifa… I'm not fit to help anyone. Not my family, not my friends. No one," Cloud insisted, not having noticed.

"Dilly-dally shilly-shally," Tifa responded, sounding exasperated. Cloud looked up at her, and she repeated herself. "Dilly-dally, shilly-shally."

"Think she wants you to move on, man," Reno interjected, and two sets of eyes swiveled to look at him.

"Did you find them?" Tifa ask, anxiously.

"Weeeell... found 'em, yeah. Gettin' 'em back turned out to be a little trickier."

"Where are they?" Cloud asked.

"They're using the Forgotten City as a base," Rude interjected, pushing Reno aside slightly to take a step forward. The redhead rolled his eyes. He doubted Tifa was going to be _that_ impressed by their detective work. Especially since they'd returned empty-handed.

Cloud was silent for a moment. Finally, he looked up at the Turks again.

"Go. Do what you can."

"Tch... _Do what you can_ , he says," Reno mimicked. "Listen, Strife. We're not fuckin' Soldiers. This shit is a little above our pay grade... as in they don't pay us enough to volunteer for suicide missions that don't involve the President."

"I have to talk to Rufus," Cloud replied. The redhead snorted and was about to tell him that he might have a little bit of an issue with that at the moment, but Tifa beat him to the punch.

"Stop running!" she demanded, slamming her hand down on the bed. "I know. Even if you find the kids, you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never un-happen. That scares you, doesn't it? But you need to think about _now_. Really take it in."

Reno turned somewhat awkwardly to Rude and gestured to the door. The last thing he wanted to get involved in was a lovers'... or whatever they were... quarrel. Rude shook his head. The redhead started towards the open door, but his partner physically dragged him back.

Meanwhile, Tifa was ignoring their presence all together. "Look at you! You think you've got it so damn hard. Well, you hate being alone, so let people in! Sure you might not answer the phone, but I don't see you throwing it away either!"

" _You_ go. Their base is all yours," Reno finally stated, and turned back to the door, glaring at Rude as if challenging him to try that again. This time, the other Turk followed, and Reno could hear the conversation continuing upstairs. "Alright... Now what the fuck was _that_ all about?" he grumbled as they stepped off the staircase and into the backroom of the bar.

"..."

Reno glanced back, and noted that his partner was blushing faintly.

"Oh, for _fuck's_ sake," the redhead said, rolling his eyes. "And to think... _I'm_ the one that always gets accused of thinkin' with his dick. Keep it in your pants, partner... we still got a President to find."

"... Where to now?"

Reno pushed the back door open and ushered the pair out into the warm evening. He glanced upwards at the moon that now hung brightly in the sky.

"Well... we know where he's _not_. He's not at Healin, and he's not up north. Seems to me that if Kadaj thinks he can ransom him back for Jenova, he'd keep him nearby."

"You think they're in Edge?" Rude asked, sounding somewhat surprised.

"Edge, or the Midgar ruins. One of the two. We already know _one_ of 'em headed into the ruins for some reason, and ran into Strife and Tifa. Seems like it might be worth checkin' out a little farther. See if we can pick up a trail." He reached into his pocket and fished out his PHS. "First, though... I'm starvin'. We've been at this shit all day without a break. I'm gonna see if Lira'll let us mooch some dinner off her."

He thumbed open his contact list and suddenly paused, as he realized the message light was flashing. When the hell had a call come in? He switched over to the call log.

"What's up?" Rude queried. Reno frowned.

"Not sure. Looks like a I got a call from someone while we were up north. Must've not had service. You recognize the number?" he asked turning the screen so his partner could see. Rude shook his head. The redhead shrugged and hit the button to play the message. It crackled loudly with static.

" _... –no... It's me... We're alrigh– … made it to Kalm... Tseng's hurt, but... coming... soon as... don't worry about us... –ose guys want Jenova, so... careful... I love you."_

Reno's breath caught in his throat and he blinked in shock for a moment before turning to look at Rude... who looked just as surprised and relieved as he did. A wide grin spread over the redhead's face.

"... They're in Kalm," he breathed, "Rude... They're in fucking Kalm!"

He laughed, somewhat manically, and threw his arms around the other man.

"Thank Odin," Rude said, tightening his own grip on his partner.

* * *

"You travel fast," a voice greeted them as they disembarked from the helicopter. "I only arrived a short while ago myself."

Elena jumped slightly and spun to face its source. "Vincent!"

"We ran into a supply transport in Kalm," Tseng replied. "Had the timing not been so fortunate, we would almost certainly still be there. Have you spoken to the others yet?"

"They're not here. Even Rufus is gone."

The two Turks looked at one another in concern. It wasn't odd for Reno and Rude to be off somewhere... but the President, as well? Where would they have gone?

"I would like to stay and help you determine what's happened... but..."

Tseng shook his head. "Leave this to us. As you said... we're going to need help dealing with those three. Go and speak with Strife."

Vincent nodded and disappeared into the night, as Tseng and Elena made their way inside. Everything was, more or less, just how they'd left it. Elena flipped the light switch, illuminating the front room.

"Could they have sent Rufus on to Junon?" she asked. It made sense, especially if they'd been concerned about the trio attacking. Junon was far more secure, and had much better defenses than Healin Lodge.

"I'm quite certain Viridia would have said something, were that the case," the Turk leader replied, with a negative shake of his head.

"... Oh. Right."

Tseng stepped over to the couch and leaned down, dutifully ignoring the protest of his injuries, and picked up a plastic bag filled with water. He held it up to the light, curiously.

"A... former ice pack, perhaps?" he mused. "Though I don't see any evidence of other medical supplies. It can't have been _too_ serious an injury."

"If not Junon... where would they have gone?" Shinra only had so many safe facilities these days. There was Healin... Junon... maybe the offices in Edge if they were desperate. The Shinra manor in Nibelheim if they were _really_ desperate. Beyond that, though...

Tseng took a seat on the couch. "I don't know. And unfortunately we're not going to find them tonight. We're both tired and hungry. I suggest we eat, wash off some of the grime we've managed to accumulate, and start fresh in the morning."

Elena sighed softly. As much as she wanted to find Reno... she knew Tseng was right. There wasn't much that could be done tonight, and frankly, she was exhausted.

She missed him desperately, though. Reno had become a constant in her life, and she just wouldn't feel quite right until she had him back. And somehow, she had a feeling that neither would he.

The very first thing she was going to do was tell him. Well, she silently amended, the very _first_ thing she was going to do was kiss the son of a bitch. _Then_ she was going to tell him. She was still a little nervous about that, truth be told... but the idea of Reno not knowing about his impending fatherhood was rapidly becoming more and more unbearable for her, though she couldn't quite pinpoint why exactly.

Tseng patted the seat beside him.

"Come sit down. I'll see what I can do about dinner."

Elena smirked slightly, and shook her head. " _I'll_ make dinner. No offense, sir... but your cooking is still just plain _terrible_."

* * *

He couldn't seem to stop shaking. Reno was still inside with Lira and Cole, but Rude... Rude had retreated to the safety of solitude for the moment. He was presently sitting on the little wooden bench near her front door, staring into the growing darkness, and trying to retain his tenuous grasp on control.

He had truly believed they were dead. When he'd seen those ID cards, the miniscule possibility that they weren't had been dismissed as wishful thinking... and he'd resigned himself to the fact. He'd spent most of the day forcing himself to accept it. Preparing himself for when he'd finally have to tell Reno... and for the utter heartbreak he'd have to witness before picking up the shattered pieces of a man he regarded as better than a brother. Even after they'd found evidence of someone escaping the Forgotten City... he hadn't dared let it spark any real hope.

Now, though... they were alive. And Rude was slowly coming to terms with the fact that his acceptance had been premature. He was elated, of course. Hearing Elena's voice on that recording had left him feeling faint for a few moments. But he hadn't quite managed to shake the notion that it was too good to be true, and that annoying bit of doubt kept him worried that any moment, someone might yank the rug out from under him again.

He took a deep breath and leaned forward, running his hands over his scalp. He wasn't usually so emotional... but suddenly losing Tseng and Elena, and then just as suddenly getting them back... it was almost too much to process.

The door was still slightly ajar, and it creaked open a bit farther. A little face peered out through the crack, grinning maniacally for a moment before the rest of its body quickly followed, toddling over to him and raising chubby arms to the sky.

"Unca Rude! Up!"

Rude looked up, startled from his thoughts and couldn't help but snort a soft laugh. He quickly obliged, picking the little boy up and carrying him back inside. Reno and Lira were still at the table where he'd left them, talking animatedly.

"... Think someone got out of his playpen again."

Lira looked up from her conversation with the redhead.

"Cole!" she gasped, in a concerned, but frustrated tone, " _You_ are gonna give mommy a heart attack if you keep this up!" She smiled at the Turk as she took her son from his arms. "Thanks for recapturin' him. I don't know what I'm gonna _do_ with this little escape artist. Can't take my eyes off him for a _second_ since he started walkin'."

"Heh... Considered tryin' a leash?" Reno teased. The little blonde-haired boy giggled as Reno reached out and tugged on one of his bare toes. Lira turned to Rude.

"My hands are full. Smack him for me."

Rude smirked, and took a halfhearted swing at the redhead, but his partner deftly ducked out of the way before he made contact. Lira sighed and handed her son to Reno.

"Here... hold him for a second."

Reno obediently accepted the child, and Rude couldn't help but smile faintly. The _first_ time Lira had done that, his poor friend had looked like he was going to pass out. Or _run_ out... probably screaming. Now, he seemed perfectly at ease cuddling the boy in his mother's stead. Happy, even. It was something Rude was still getting used to, as he'd never really considered Reno to be especially good with kids. They generally seemed to like the redhead... but his partner had always been a bit terrified of _them_.

A moment later, Lira delivered a solid _thwap_ to the back of Reno's head.

"Ow! Hey!"

" _That's_ for suggestin' I put my little angel on a leash," she stated, grinning, and quickly pulled the now riotously laughing toddler from his grasp. Rude snickered as Reno rubbed the injury with one hand and scowled.

"You're just teaching that poor kid that violence solves all your problems, ya know..." he muttered as she set Cole back down amongst the toys in his playpen.

Lira straightened and set her hands on her hips. "No I'm not. I'm teachin' _you_ how to be a good father. It's your _own_ fault you're so stubborn that I sometimes have to beat the lesson into that thick skull of yours."

Reno rolled his eyes. "Oh, not _this_ again. Lira... I keep tellin' ya. Me 'n 'Lena aren't gonna be havin' kids any time soon. We haven't even talked about it. _I'm_ not even sure if 'Lena really wants 'em."

"And _I_ keep telling _you_... eventually you're _gonna_ have 'em. So you'd better start takin' my lessons to heart," Lira replied, smiling widely. She started clearing away the dinner dishes from the table. Reno cast the other Turk a somewhat pleading look.

"Rude... back me up here, will ya?"

Rude calmly took the stack of dishes from their hostess. "You cooked. I got these," he said, and carried them over to the sink, ignoring his partner's request.

"Tch... some friend _you_ are," came the petulant reply. "I s'pose _you're_ just itchin' for me to get 'Lena knocked up, too..."

Rude snickered, but said nothing. Lira giggled and leaned over, kissing her friend softly on the check. "You know... you kept saying the same thing about gettin' married, and look at you now. Goin' on two years. _And_ ,I might point out, you've loved every second of it. Come on... just admit it. You wouldn't _mind_ havin' a cute little mini-Reno or mini-Elena runnin' around."

Reno leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, pouting – and, Rude thought, possibly even blushing a little.

"... 'Course I wouldn't _mind_... I mean _if_ somethin' like that happened, I'd kinda _have_ to be cool with it, right? But it's not _gonna_ happen right now, 'cause we're not tryin'to _make_ it happen... so quit drivin' me nuts about it. We're _not_ ready and we might never be."

She laughed again and shook her head. "Well... You just keep tellin' yourself that. Meantime, I'm gonna keep teachin' you everything I know. Just in case."

* * *

It was some time later, after the dishes were done and the baby was asleep and Lira had gone upstairs to bed, leaving the two Turks to fight it out themselves over space on the couch in the living room.

"You've been quiet tonight, partner... Somethin' up?"

Rude made himself comfortable against the pillows and dragged the blanket Lira had gotten for him over himself.

"Just... They're alive," he replied, "Guess I just don't know what else to say right now."

"... Yeah. Know what ya mean. Hell of a relief, isn't it?"

Rude nodded silently in the darkness, before realizing that the redhead probably couldn't seen him, particularly from his position curled up on the floor. "... Yeah."

"Tomorrow, we find Rufus, too," Reno firmly added.

"... And then we pay those assholes back for trying to take them from us," Rude agreed.

~end chapter 11~


	12. The Pawns

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 12: The Pawns**

 **by Desha**

"That was delicious."

Elena smiled slightly and shook her head. "You can thank Rude for it. All I had to do was put it in the oven. It looks like he's been busy lately. I think we could probably eat for a week or more off everything he's got prepped."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. He cooks when he's upset," Tseng commented. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment. After almost two weeks, first of starvation, and then of essentially living off of field rations, just about anything would have looked like a banquet. Coming home to a literal one _waiting_ for them had been unexpected, but pleasant. A full belly was a welcome change.

"... Then he must be _really_ upset. Because there isn't an inch to spare in that fridge. It's packed tight." She paused for a moment, staring down at her now empty plate. "I hope they're okay."

"They will be _fine_ Elena. I'm sure they had a good reason for leaving Healin. And I'm sure we'll hear all about it when we find them. For now, though... It's getting late. We should get some sleep. We're leaving for Edge first thing in the morning."

"Edge, sir?"

"Well... Clearly they're not in Junon. Nor Kalm, as we just came from there. Unless they were forced _entirely_ into hiding, Edge seems the most likely place for them to go."

"What about Fort Condor?" Elena asked. The little mountain fortress was still _technically_ under Shinra control... though the company really only kept a small garrison of Junon soldiers there to monitor the deactivated reactor while it was being dismantled.

"Perhaps. But I don't think it would be their first choice. Rufus mentioned that there have been some mako leaks lately. Small... but frequent. They're taking apart the reactor core at present, and it can be hazardous," the Turk leader replied, as he got to his feet, wincing as he held one hand to his injured ribs. "We'll try Edge first."

"Yes, sir," said Elena, though she herself didn't get up right away. "Goodnight."

"Don't stay up all night worrying," he replied, gently, "It's not good for the baby. Goodnight, Elena."

* * *

"... Hey, Lira?" Reno queried around a mouthful of toast the following morning.

"Ugh. Reno, that's disgusting. Don't talk with your mouth full," she replied, as she bounced Cole softly on her knee, the little boy squealing with delight. The redhead obediently swallowed.

"Yeah, yeah... Anyway, I know it's kinda last minute 'n shi–"

"And don't you _dare_ curse in front of the baby..." Lira warned, "We've been over this. I know it's a lifelong habit at this point, but I do _not_ want Cole repeatin' half of what comes out of your mouth."

Reno rolled his eyes. "Like he even knows what it means," he muttered.

"He doesn't need to know what it means to repeat it. Over, and over, and over again. We learned _that_ lesson when his first word ended up being 'beer'... _didn't_ we, _Reno_?"

"... _That_ was _not_ my fault!"

"Yes, it was," Rude helpfully called out from the kitchen.

"Yeah, okay, fine, it was totally my fault. But you gotta admit... it was _hilarious_ ," he replied, grinning. His grin was quickly squelched by Lira's glare.

"Do you have _any_ idea how long it took me to get him to _stop_ saying it? My neighbors probably all think I'm a lush."

Reno sniggered at the comment, but quickly sobered when Lira shot him another dirty look. "... Uh... yeah. Anyway. Back to what I've been _tryin'_ to ask ya... Think you'd be up for a last minute trip over to Kalm today?"

Lira looked up from her son. "Well... I _was_ going to check in on Talia and Fawn tomorrow, and maybe stay a day or two to help out. I _guess_ I could leave a little early. Why?"

"Two reasons..." Reno replied. "One... Tseng and 'Lena are there. Or at least they were twelve hours ago. They apparently don't have their phones, so we're kinda out of contact. If you happen to run into 'em before they head back this way, I'd be grateful if you could let 'em know where _we_ are and why we're here. The boss isn't gonna be real happy we let Rufus get kidnapped, but he should know as soon as possible."

Lira eyed him suspiciously. "What's the _second_ reason?"

"... I got a bad feelin' those assholes are gonna make Edge a whole lot less safe 'til we do somethin' about 'em. And I don't want you or Cole gettin' caught up in Shinra business. Not again. Not after I almost lost you the last time."

He still blamed himself for that. Lira had been tortured... She could have died. Likely _would_ have died, had they not caught up to Jericho when they did. And afterwards, she'd spent weeks recovering. He wasn't about to risk putting her through something like that again. And he certainly didn't want _Cole_ caught in the crossfire, either.

Cole demanded to be put down, and his mother obliged, setting him free to make his slightly unsteady way over to the redhead. He grinned up at him, tugging on Reno's pant leg.

"Up down, Unca Reno!"

It was his new favorite game to play with his "Uncle Reno". Reno smirked and stood up, picking the boy up and flipping him upside down. He dangled him precariously by his ankles as Cole giggled madly. Lira rolled her eyes.

"Do you _have_ to get him all wound up like that? Especially right before you expect me to leave for Kalm?"

The redhead suddenly saw a perfect opportunity for a little payback after last night's insistence that he become a father sooner rather than later. He flashed her an evil grin and hoisted her inverted son up so that they were face to face.

"Hey, Cole... Tell mommy what Uncle Reno's favorite drink is!"

"BEER!" the toddler squealed, and laughed. "Beer, beer, beer, beer, beer!"

" _Reno!_ " his mother groaned.

* * *

Rufus had fallen into a doze at some point. At first he wasn't quite sure what had woken him, as all around him was silence and darkness. He wasn't sure how long he'd been stuck there, either... Overnight, at the very least.

A part of him wondered if this place... wherever the hell it was... was meant to be his tomb. Would Kadaj even bother coming back for him? Perhaps. When he found himself unable to locate Jenova's remains in the city, almost certainly. But what then? Would he attack?

If he did, Rufus would be revealed almost immediately. The specimen container was too bulky to keep hidden without the aid of the blanket. And he had little doubt that, once he outlived his usefulness, he would be disposed of.

The thought frightened him. It wasn't as if he'd never been in danger before... but previously, he'd always known that someone would come for him. This time, though, he was on his own. Tseng and Elena were... well, he couldn't be absolutely certain, but it was at least very possible they were both dead. Reno and Rude were still alive... probably... but he had no idea how badly they'd been injured. Kadaj had put them out of commission quite effectively, and Rufus doubted he would have left them a clue as to where he was headed next. There was simply no one else to come to his rescue.

The President's grip tightened unconsciously around the _other_ object the blanket concealed. It was smaller than his old shotgun, but it packed just as much of a punch... though it lacked his old weapon's shattershot. He'd insisted on it... over a year ago, in fact. And he'd recruited Elena to help him learn to use it. Tseng had wholeheartedly approved of the young executive learning to better defend himself, and even Reno had refrained from _too_ much mockery of his poor aim when he'd first started on real target practice. Though he couldn't hope to come close to the youngest Turk's abilities with a firearm, at the very least he could say that he was now capable of hitting the broad side of a barn.

He had no idea, though, if that would be enough if it really came down to Kadaj and himself. A part of him desperately hoped he wouldn't have to find out... and he wondered if that made him a coward.

He was no Turk, that much was certain. His Turks were fearless and fierce, and he admired them for that. They had trained for years to be the best at what they did, and it showed. If he ordered them to risk their lives, he knew they would obey without question. His father had relished having that sort of power at his fingertips.

To Rufus... it was a heavy burden.

They weren't simply his employees anymore. They hadn't been in a very long time. He had no _real_ family left, and the four of them had come to fill that void to some extent. But even so... they were first and foremost his protectors. They would die for him if they had to, and knowing that was painful... because it was the last thing he wanted.

Rufus lifted his head at the sudden sound of creaking hinges, and squinted slightly as a light-filled crack slowly spread in front of him. The door was open. And a moment later, Kadaj's dark silhouette appeared in the doorway.

"Good morning, Mr. President... are you ready to tell me where Mother is yet?"

* * *

"Well? Where to? Back to the church?" Rude asked as he and Reno made their way towards the center of town. They'd seen Lira and Cole safely off, and then set out to find their missing executive.

"Unless you've heard somethin' and forgot to share, seems like as good a place to start as any."

Rude shook his head, and fell into step beside his partner. The sun was already shining bright in the sky... it was going to be hot, he could tell. The summers seemed to have gotten quite a _bit_ warmer since Meteor, actually... at least in the north. Icicle Inn's peak skiing season had been shortened by nearly a month, and Midgar's weather now nearly rivaled that of Costa del Sol at mid-summer. No one was quite certain of the reason for it, though the theory was that Meteor had been so massive that it had shifted the planet's orbit slightly.

Rude wasn't complaining... Frankly, he enjoyed the warmer weather. It reminded him a bit of his summers in Rocket Town as a child.

The redhead suddenly stopped short, head tilted slightly.

"The fuck's goin' on up there?" he asked, more to himself than to his partner. Rude heard it, too. It sounded like a crowd... a fairly decent-sized one, in fact... all talking at once. Reno took off at a cautious jog all the way to the corner, his fellow-Turk following behind him. He peered around the corner of a building, just as Rude caught up to him.

"Heh... Looks like we're skipping church today, partner," he said, nodding towards the Plaza.

"Hmph... So what else is new? You haven't been to church since your wedding," Rude responded, joining him.

He could hear the disturbance more clearly now, and as he, too, glanced out at the sight, his eyes widened.

"What do you think you're doing?! Give us back our children!" someone yelled out. Rude's attention, however, was on the spectacle at the center of the crowd. It was the kids. All of them, as far as he could tell. They stood, golem-like, encircling the Meteor monument. Inside their protective circle, two men with white hair were wrapping a chain around the statue.

"... Always nice when the bad guys come to _us_ for a change," Rude commented, and Reno smirked.

"Can't say I disagree," he replied, but quickly frowned, "... but where's that Kadaj asshole?"

"Hmph... Maybe we should ask them."

* * *

Rufus' detached demeanor belied the slowly growing terror he felt as Kadaj wheeled him forward and into an elevator. He still had no idea where he was... and now he had no idea where he was being taken, either. When the chime sounded and the doors opened, however, he was certain it was nowhere he wanted to be.

A rough breeze buffeted him, threatening to whip the blanket away from his face.

"Why does humankind even bother? You wreck everything you've ever made... then you start over like it'll be any different the next time," Kadaj mused, as he pushed him forward. Steel girders and unfinished walls surrounded them, and as they approached the edge of the floor, Rufus found himself looking out over Edge. From _very_ high up. He swallowed sharply, and forced a calm he didn't really feel into his voice.

"I suppose we're simply not very good at facing our memories," he responded, "We prefer a more gilded past... finding something worthwhile buried amongst the rubble to build a future upon."

"Is that why you went looking for Mother? To... 'gild the past'?"

"Hardly. We were trying to rid ourselves of a more immediate problem."

Kadaj laughed faintly. "You mean the Stigma? You brought _that_ on yourselves," he said. "My, my... Shinra Company really does have a short memory."

"No... I haven't forgotten," Rufus said, darkly. His attempts to cure the disease were proof of that. How _could_ he forget? How could he _ever_ forget that it was Shinra Company that discovered Jenova? That birthed a monster from its DNA? That nearly destroyed everyone and everything in pursuit of greed? That had triggered a global pandemic with no known cure? No... he hadn't forgotten.

"No?" the other man asked, "Is that why you continue to hide Mother from us? To... atone?" He laughed again, more coldly this time. "Do you really think you can? Ever? For what you've done? Will the masses forgive you once you've delivered them their cure? Adulate you as they once did? Is _that_ what you hope to achieve?"

"I want to correct the mistakes of the past... even though I know I cannot," Rufus said, "But I can _try_ to repair the damage."

Kadaj moved to stand beside him, looking down on the city below.

"Look at them, Mr. President. Do you think they care for your change of heart? Most have already lost loved ones to the Stigma. Your cure can't bring them back. Your cure doesn't even exist yet. You can't save them. _Any_ of them. Why not just give in to the inevitable?"

"And make things that much easier for you? I think not," the President said, with conviction.

~end chapter 12~


	13. The Summoning

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 13: The Summoning**

 **by Desha**

"We sure we wanna do this?" Rude asked. "Only took one of them to drop us both yesterday."

"Tch... We're not lookin' for trouble. We're just asking some questions."

"Hmph... And I'm sure _they_ won't start anything..."

Reno knew he was right. This was most _likely_ going to end in a fight. But they were clearly running out of time. Whatever these guys were up to, it was coming to a head. They wouldn't be acting so publicly if it weren't... and that meant he and Rude had to get Rufus back before Rufus became expendable.

As the two Turks approached the monument, Reno slipped his EMR out of the holster on his belt, and clipped it into the leather strap attached to his wrist. He'd never particularly liked fighting while tethered to his weapon... but damned if he was going to let one of these Sephiroth-wannabes disarm him a second time.

Before they could get close, though, several of the concerned parents grabbed for their children, intent on carrying them away. At that same moment, the same dog-like creatures Reno had only seen at a distance before, when they'd attacked Cloud on the plains, materialized and set upon the crowd.

A sharp flick of the wrist extended the electrified baton to its full length, and he let it rest on his shoulder as he and Rude made their way forward, ignoring the beasts. They seemed far more concerned with causing general chaos than with attacking _them_... for the moment.

"And what are _we_ up to?" he queried once they were just feet away from the base of the structure.

* * *

High above the city, Rufus had been watching the commotion below... and things had suddenly taken a rather interesting turn. He smirked slightly. If there was one thing Reno was _not_ good at... it was blending into a crowd. The President would have noticed him down there even if the gathering _hadn't_ been suddenly darting away from his general direction to escape the creatures. And once he had a fix on the redhead, spotting his partner didn't take much effort, either.

"Say, Kadaj... I've got a question for you," Rufus said. The silver-haired remnant didn't look at him. Instead, he placed his fingers against his forearm and drew a glassy sphere from within his own body. Rufus' eyes widened slightly. He'd known these creatures weren't human... but he'd had no idea how truly strange – and powerful – they really were. Before the Crisis – before he was even born, for that matter – Shinra Company had spent several years attempting to develop the technology to implant someone with materia. They'd poured millions into the project before discovering that it wasn't quite as easy as it sounded... In the end, it had led to the Soldier program. An important advancement in its own right, but a far cry from what they'd hoped to achieve.

"I've got an answer," Kadaj replied, holding the sphere up to the mid-morning sun. It glinted with a faint hint of red in the sunlight.

"You told me you needed Jenova's cells in order to be whole again... What did you _really_ mean by that?"

He was very much afraid that he already knew the answer to that question. Kadaj certainly hadn't been subtle. Nor did he seem to care what Rufus learned of his plans.

Kadaj's gaze was still on the city. "Him. He's coming back."

"Sephiroth," Rufus said, "The nightmare."

"So they say," Kadaj said with a quiet laugh. "I've never known him, of course. I only... sense him." He looked down at the girder beneath his feet. "Always there. It pisses me off sometimes. I wonder which of us Mother prefers... Sephiroth, or me?"

"Poor little remnant," Rufus chided in mock sympathy. Kadaj turned, scowling angrily and stalked towards him.

"It doesn't matter who she picks! You'll _all_ meet the same fate. Mother came to this planet after a long journey. Her task was to rid the cosmos of idiots like _you_!" He held the materia up, close to the President's face, and Rufus could actually _feel_ the energy humming inside it even without touching it. Whatever it summoned... it was powerful. "But you don't understand, do you? Nothing's changed since her arrival. I have to change it... to maker her happy. If Mother willed it, I'd do anything for her!"

"Hmph... the nightmare all over again, huh?"

"As long as your kind exist, the nightmares will come again and again," he replied, turning back to the city and calmly tossing the materia sphere into the air.

Rufus shook his head. "And as death begets life, so too will the past be bound to live again; for while life courses through the world, it flows upon the very edge edge of death," he quoted. An admittedly rough translation from the original Wutaiian that lost some of the more subtle nuances, but it would do. "Go on, then. Bring your Jenovas and your Sephiroths. Cause trouble to your heart's content. As always, we'll do as we must. We'll try to stop you."

"Is _that_ you excuse for hiding Mother away, Mr. President? You'll be sorry for it. In the end," Kadaj responded. He pressed the materia to his forearm, and it was quickly reabsorbed.

" _Sorry_? You misunderstand. I'm quite enjoying myself." That was, perhaps, the biggest lie Rufus had ever told. The truth was, he was terrified... for himself more than anything, really, but for everyone else as well.

Even concealed from view by the younger man's flesh, the flare from the materia was unmistakable. Kadaj rounded on him him again, with a cold smile.

"Good," he said, "Then let's put an end to all this." He slowly raised his arm, and his eyes took on a faint glow to match that of the materia. His smile never wavered, not even as the rapidly building energy was released into the sky.

Rufus watched as the clouds began to part, and wondered just what he'd doomed them all to this time.

* * *

"We figured it out. Mother is here."

"Yeah?" Rude queried, an eyebrow rising in challenge behind dark lenses, calm in spite of the mayhem that surrounded them. Loz smirked.

"Hmph. Yeah. This thing... Shinra made it."

Reno grinned widely. They were way off... which meant that Rufus was probably still confident enough in his hiding place to keep sending them on wild goose chases. And that meant he was safe... for now at least. Of course, as soon as they discovered that Jenova _wasn't_ in the monument... who knew what might happen? Kadaj might simply decide he was fed up with Rufus' games, and take him out. Which, somewhat ironically, would result in him finding what he was looking for.

And _that_ meant he and Rude needed to keep those two fuckers out of that statue.

"So... ya think we hid her _here_ , huh?" he said, taunting them.

Yazoo cocked his head to one side. "Did you?"

"Why ask us?" Rude replied.

"Heh... Yeah. Where we hid her is classified," the redhead added. He turned back to his partner, sniggering, and shot him a look that said 'Follow my lead'. Rude smirked and quickly joined in on the condescending laughter.

"Oh?" Yazoo said, smugly, "... Seems you _do_ have something to hide."

The redhead repressed the urge to grin – the bastard had taken the bait... hook, line, and sinker – and instead adopted an expression of shock and dismay.

"Rude! You and your big mouth!" he lamented as he readied himself to attack. Seconds later, he charged.

* * *

"Sir!"

"I saw it!" Tseng replied, and turned the helicopter towards the center of the city... towards the flash of light that had emanated from one of several partially constructed towers. "Which building... ?" he muttered as he circled high.

"S-sir? Elena stammered slightly, "You... might want to take us lower! _Now_!"

The Turk leader shifted his attention back to the airspace ahead of him, and his eyes widened. He pushed sharply forward on the stick, sending them into a fast descent... and only narrowly avoided the massive wing that nearly clipped them. He had little choice but to back off to a safer distance, as the rest of the creature's body swiftly followed.

"What in Bahamut's name is _that_?!" Elena breathed.

"... Bahamut. Unless I'm very much mistaken."

"It's... it's _huge_..."

Tseng nodded vaguely in agreement. Few people had ever witnessed one of the legendary creatures being summoned. _He_ certainly never had before. To many, they were only a step or two down from deities themselves... great guardian spirits that few had the power to summon and even fewer to control.

He'd never seen one in person, but Tseng _had_ heard stories of the summoning of Leviathan during the Meaningless War. The mighty sea serpent had been called forth to save the capital city from Shinra's forces... only to fall to Sephiroth's Masamune, banished back to the nether from whence it came.

Without warning, the King of Dragon's mammoth tail swung towards them... thankfully missing an actual strike against the comparatively diminutive aircraft, but creating enough of a vortex to send them spinning out of control for a few moments.

"... I think, Elena, that now might be an appropriate time to land," Tseng said, somewhat breathlessly once the helicopter stabilized, noting the other Turk's white-knuckled grip on the co-pilot's controls.

"Yes, sir. I think that now would be an _excellent_ time to land." 

* * *

The new surge of panic in the crowd didn't register until something huge landed on the roadway with a loud roar. The creature leapt upwards, onto the statue, crushing part of it and sending those brave enough to still be in its range scattering. Reno tried to backpedal, staring up at the unexpected addition to the fight, weapon still swinging backwards for the intended strike. Rude, behind him, stopped a moment too late. Reno felt the impact as his partner collided with the mag-rod.

His attention, for the moment, however, was locked firmly on the enormous dragon now looming over him.

"Oooh, boy... H-hello..." he managed. _That_ was one big, _angry_ motherfucker.

"... _Hell_ no," Rude stated. The redhead wholeheartedly concurred. Picking a fight with those two weirdos was one thing... Voluntarily going after a fucking summoned beast was another matter altogether. The two Turks turned as one and fled.

"Uh... When we tell 'Lena about this later... let's not mention the part about us runnin' away like a couple of panicked chocobos, huh?" Reno called over to his partner.

"I won't say anything if you don't!" Rude replied.

Reno ran past a young boy... one of the many children who'd been shielding Yazoo and Loz... and ground to a halt when he realized the kid wasn't even _trying_ to get out of the way.

" _Fuck!_ " he swore, grabbing him by the arm and trying to pulling him along with him. "Fuckin' move your ass, kid!"

When he didn't budge, Reno gave an exasperated growl and simply picked him up, just before Loz narrowly missed landing an attack on the Turk. To his surprise, the child made a somewhat feeble attempt at breaking free from his grasp, trying to shove him away, swatting at his face. At one point the boy's fingers jabbed into his nose, and Reno jerked his head up, away from the sudden pain at having his sinuses gouged.

"Tch... And Lira thinks _I_ need one of these damn things?" he groused, annoyed. By then, Rude had swept past him, a small child under each arm, and the redhead hurried to catch up. "Is it after us?!"

" _I'm_ not looking!" Rude shot back, eyes remaining firmly locked on his destination. There was an earsplitting explosion somewhere behind them, and the next thing Reno knew, he was airborne, tumbling head over heels along with the shockwave from the blast. He instinctively shielded the boy in his arms, hitting the ground hard moments later and skidding along the cement.

Reno groaned loudly as he collected himself, slowly raising himself up on his arms and watched as the little boy he'd rescued got to his feet, apparently unharmed, and wandered off, dazed. Rude, too, was picking himself up by then.

A somewhat cruel laugh met his ears.

"Are we having fun yet?" Yazoo asked. Reno glanced over at his partner, Rude gave him a subtle nod. The redhead smirked.

"Time of my _life_!" he shouted, as the pair of Turks leapt to their feet, simultaneously lashing out with a staggering kick at their opponents, hoping to catch them off guard.

~end chapter 13~


	14. The Battle

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 14: The Battle**

 **by Desha**

The moment the skids hit the ground, Tseng was on his feet, Elena close behind. The pair hurried into the back of the aircraft. It had been a rather sudden landing... he'd been forced to simply choose the closest available open area. Which had turned out to be the middle of an unfinished on-ramp leading to the highway. All around them, they could hear screams and cries of fear.

"We need to get the civilians cleared out of there. Now!" Tseng said. "That thing is under Kadaj's control... I'm sure of it. It will tear them apart."

He wrenched open the small weapons locker and frowned. There wasn't really anything in the way of heavy ordnance. Some flares, and some small demolition charges... nothing that would even put a dent in something as powerful as one of the incarnations of Bahamut.

"If we happen to survive this, remind me to have a word with Viridia about the sorry state of her aircraft's munition stores," he said, digging a little deeper into the locker. Finally, he came up with a pair of net shooters. Not exactly destructive... but Bahamut was a winged creature. Perhaps grounding it would give them an advantage. He passed one over to Elena. "Aim for its wings... or barring that, its feet. If we can immobilize it, even temporarily, it will give those people more time to escape."

The younger Turk nodded, and the pair of them disembarked, racing down the roadway towards the disturbance.

"Tseng! Elena!"

The Turk leader turned at the sound of his name, and caught sight of a flash of deep crimson.

"Vincent..."

The former Turk reached them in a few long strides, and shook his head. "Assistance is en route. We'll handle that thing. I saw Reno and Rude from a distance a moment ago... They're keeping two of our three opponents busy, but Kadaj is still loose somewhere."

"I believe we have a rough idea where. We'll find him."

Vincent nodded and hurried off to join the fray.

"Good luck," Tseng called after him, and glanced toward the rampaging Bahamut. "I suspect you're going to need it."

* * *

Reno found himself sliding painfully across unrelenting pavement for the second time that day. He growled and forced himself upright again.

"When are you gonna call it a _day_?!" he yelled, with a soft grunt as he swung hard at Yazoo, and missed. The faux-Sephiroth smirked and jumped... higher than any normal person could ever have done... and landed on the roof of a nearby building.

"Just as soon as you return Mother!" he called back down to the Turk. " _That_ will be the end of everything."

The redhead scowled, and ran for the building, scaling the the tangle of pipes that ran alone the wall, easily hoisting himself up to the other man's level. This was insane. Neither he nor Rude stood a chance against these guys! Reno had sparred with members of Soldier before... and even _they_ had nothing on his current opponent's speed and strength. Worse yet... this Yazoo character seemed to cancel out Reno's own strong points a little _too_ perfectly. Like the Turk, he had a body built for speed and agility. He was quick to spot an incoming attack... and quick to avoid it. Most of the blows Reno _had_ landed were glancing at best, and he was almost certain that he'd been _allowed_ to land them.

The thin smile on Yazoo's face only confirmed it to him. This was a game to them. He doubted they regarded either himself _or_ Rude as a legitimate threat. Merely something to play with. Reno took another swing at Yazoo, now having to not only keep an eye on his target, but also maintain his balance on the narrow ledge they were standing on.

Reno's gaze was momentarily redirected to the ground, as Rude sailed by, landing some distance down the block, after being thrown by Loz. His eyes narrowed angrily.

"Tch... Fuck your little family reunion!"

"All we want is to be with Mother," Yazoo replied, and the next thing the redhead knew, a boot slammed into his chest, and sent him flying from the rooftop.

He crashed hard into a billboard for some play called Loveless, and for some reason he couldn't begin to fathom, wondered why that sounded so familiar before remembering Rufus having spoken about wanting to see the upcoming production. His fingers closed around the metalwork supporting the large sign, and he barely managed to catch himself before he fell... but an ominous creak directly above him removed any sense of relief that might have given him.

"... Oh, fuck..." he breathed. Reno braced himself for the worst as the supports cracked from the force of his impact, and the sign toppled forward.

Somehow... it missed him. But it seemed the giant advertisement wasn't quite finished yet.

"Rude! Heads up!" he shouted, looking down at the street. He wasn't sure if his partner heard him or not. Possibly not, given that he looked slightly dazed by his own unexpected flight and rough landing. The sign crashed to the ground directly behind him, missing him by inches, and Rude froze for a moment, warily looking back.

A moment later, Reno let out a surprised yelp as his tenuous handhold gave way under the strain of the damage and his own meager weight, and he found himself plummeting. He landed with a loud _oof_ on top of his partner, and heard his own name cried out in surprise. The redhead blinked... nothing short of astounded that he didn't seem to be hurt, and quickly picked himself up, nonchalantly brushing himself off when he found himself face to face with Yazoo and Loz.

He took a step forward... and heard a distinctive _crunch_ underfoot followed by a soft sound of dismay from his partner. Reno internally cringed, somehow knowing full well what he'd just done. And that Rude was gonna be pissed if they lived through this.

"Now, where's Mother?" Loz asked.

"Mother, shmother. It's just Jenova's fuckin' head!" he said, ignoring the accusing glare Rude cast him as he, too, stood up. The bald Turk reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a second pair of sunglasses... and Reno would have laughed, had the situation not presently been – literally – a matter of life or death. He hadn't realized he'd unintentionally broken so many of his friend's precious shades over the years that Rude had resorted carrying spares _with_ him now.

"Hey!" Loz growled angrily.

"I will _not_ have you refer to Mother that way!" Yazoo added.

"Hmph..." Rude slipped his new glasses on. "Our apologies."

"Yeah, yeah... Your ma's cool..." he sighed, entirely out of habit. It was something that had gotten him out of many a bar fight when he'd said something he shouldn't have. Which, given that his mouth tended to run several miles per hour faster than his brain when he was buzzed tended to be quite often. He blinked, suddenly remembering where he was and what he was doing. "The fuck am I sayin'... ?"

Enough fucking around... they needed to find a way to end this. Reno charged again, Rude bringing up the rear. He put everything he had into the jump and managed a surprise aerial attack that sent Yazoo careening backwards. Rude followed up with a swift punch to Loz's face while the man was distracted by his compatriot's sudden departure. Reno hit the ground and grinned. _That_ one wasn't a gimme. The fucker definitely hadn't just let it through his defenses for fun.

… And apparently Loz didn't like seeing his partner take a punch anymore than Reno did. The redhead's eyes widened as, suddenly, the other man was directly in front of him. A moment later, his fist collided with Reno's face, and the Turk was thrown back into Rude's chest. Both men went down.

Reno groaned and stood, staggering slightly. He was back to back with Rude, both Turks breathing harshly from the exertion of the fight. Yazoo laughed quietly as the redhead wiped away some of the blood that was dripping from his nose.

"... If you've got a plan," Rude said, subtly elbowing him in the back, "... now would be a terrific time to share."

"Don't die?" he offered, and his partner groaned. "Yeah, yeah... I'm workin' on it."

* * *

Rufus' hand furiously gripped the armrest of his wheelchair as he watched two of his Turks thrown around like rag dolls, and he looked down at the barely visible outline of the box concealed beneath the blanket. He had thought that, with it, he could save the world from what his company had wrought. But all he'd really done was put the only people who actually gave a damn about him in danger.

Even from this distance, he could tell that the Reno and Rude were tiring quickly against Kadaj's 'brothers'. If this kept up much longer, they would fall. Beyond his Turks, Bahamut was facing off against the combined might of Avalanche. Kadaj had largely ignored the arrival of the airship, Sierra... but Rufus hadn't. He got the distinct impression that the remnant truly believed that Cloud Strife was the only opponent he really had to worry about. And maybe... he was.

Well... if Rufus couldn't personally save the world, then perhaps he could at least save those he cared about by providing a little distraction.

"This is too fun, Mr. President! Any requests for the next act?" Kadaj asked, gleefully. He turned towards the young executive, just as Rufus tossed the blanket aside, and stood, the specimen container in hand. It took the younger man a moment to register what he was seeing, and Rufus had no trouble pinpointing the exact moment that realization set in.

"Mother!" he gasped. It was the President's turn to smirk now. His gaze locked with Kadaj's.

"A good son would have known," he taunted, and, never taking his eyes off of the other man, calmly threw the box off of the building. Kadaj gave an incoherent cry of fury, and without any farther warning sent a wave of magic flying straight towards him. Rufus' eyes widened, and he dodged, narrowly missing being hit by it head on. The energy coming off of the spell, however, was harder to avoid... and he suddenly found himself falling.

* * *

If the enraged shout hadn't gotten their attention, the sudden explosion of flames high in one of the unfinished buildings certainly would have. Reno and Rude looked upwards nearly in unison at the sound – which was followed by several shots being fired off in rapid succession – as did their opponents, and the redhead felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of Rufus plummeting.

"No!" the pair of Turks chorused, the fight suddenly forgotten. A half moment later, a second figure took the same leap. It was only when Rufus refocused his aim downward that Reno realized what was going on. The sunlight glinted off the black plastic casing of a familiar specimen container as it fell. _That_ was what Rufus was aiming at, now... and it appeared that Kadaj was intent on stopping him.

"Oh, _fuck_... Rude! Move your ass!"

Even as he said it, he knew it was hopeless. Rufus was falling too fast. He had to have been close to fifteen stories up when he fell... or, more likely, was pushed. Even if they _did_ manage to break his fall in time, none of them were walking away from this uninjured.

Nevermind that _in order_ to break his fall, they'd have to run straight into the line of fire. Most of the President's shots were wide, missing the miniscule target, but that didn't seem to phase him. He was still firing.

"God _dammit_ , you idiot, stop shootin'!" he yelled, though he doubted Rufus heard him.

Kadaj, in a more streamlined drop, inched past the blonde executive, his arms outstretched, reaching for Jenova. Just before his fingers touched it, one of Rufus' shots finally hit home. It didn't stop the younger man from capturing his prize, however.

"Oh, we are so fucked..." Reno breathed, as Yazoo and Loz advanced on them again.

* * *

They hadn't even reached the building yet when they saw him fall. And Tseng knew they weren't going to.

"Elena! The nets!" he shouted, waving her to the opposite side of the road. It was going to be close... and if they missed, Rufus was a dead man. Fortunately, his fellow Turk didn't seem to need any further explanation, veering away from the Turk leader to get into a better position. She scaled a small scaffold, and took aim, just as Tseng did the same. Her shot anchored into the wall of the building opposite a fraction of a second before Tseng fired, stretching a net out below the plummeting executive.

Tseng aimed slightly lower. Elena's net would catch him... _his_ would act as a backup if the first gave way.

Rufus slammed into the waiting nets, ending up tangled, but unharmed, and the Turk leader breathed a welcome sigh of relief. Kadaj, meanwhile, dropped to the street a moment later, catlike, clutching the container with Jenova's remains.

Tseng watched as the two already on the street paused in their attack on his Turks, uncertain what to make of this new development. The decision was made for them, however, as the roar of a motorcycle cut through the air, and Kadaj fled to his own waiting bike. Yazoo and Loz followed, racing off after him, with Cloud Strife in hot pursuit.

The Turk leader glanced back in surprise, just in time to see the last of Bahamut fading into nothingness, and an enormous airship hovering nearby. He chuckled quietly. When Vincent promised to handle something, he certainly _was_ efficient about it.

* * *

Reno and Rude waited anxiously at street level as Rufus was carefully lowered down to them by their fellow Turks. The redhead's fingers at last wrapped around the netting, guiding him to the ground, and untangling the man before helping him to his feet.

"You alright, sir?" Rude asked.

"... I've decided something," Rufus replied, somewhat shaken.

"Heh... Yeah? What's that?" Reno asked.

"I strongly dislike falling off of buildings. Should such a situation arise in the future, one of you will be standing in for me."

Reno glanced over at Rude and grinned. "I think the President actually made a joke that was _almost_ funny for once, partner..."

"Sir..." a somewhat breathless Tseng called out, having at last made his way to the small group. "Are you injured?"

Rufus shook his head, but didn't have time to respond further before the conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps racing across the pavement.

"Reno!"

The Turk lieutenant suddenly found himself having to stagger backwards a few steps to keep his balance as his wife launched herself into his arms.

"Mmph!" was all he managed as her lips found his. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her in tightly against his chest as he returned the kiss. He never wanted to let go of her again.

~end chapter 14~


	15. The Chase

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 15: The Chase**

 **by Desha**

 _ **Author's Note:** Bonus chapter today! Wee! :)_

* * *

"... Are we going to need to get a hose?" Rude asked. It had been nearly a full minute, and the two Turks' lips were still firmly pressed together. Reno lifted a hand from its position on Elena's hip and flipped his partner off without breaking the kiss.

"Please do," Rufus requested. "I've seen all of _this_ display I care to. If we allow it to continue _much_ longer, they're liable to be ripping each other's clothes off in the middle of the street next."

Reno calmly redirected his still-extended finger at the President.

"You're fired," Rufus deadpanned in response.

"Reno... Elena... That's quite enough. We're not done here..." said Tseng, though it was plain he was struggling to contain a laugh at his superior's dire pronouncement. The younger Turk reluctantly pulled away from his wife.

"We'll pick this up again later," he promised, grinning widely, and sneaking in one more quick kiss the moment Tseng turned his gaze on the rest of the team.

"There are a lot of terrified people... and some of them are bound to be hurt. On top of that, those three have what they came for." He glanced skyward, at the airship that was moving swiftly off in the same direction Cloud and the three men had gone. "It would appear that the _rest_ of Avalanche is moving to join Cloud. I think we should lend them a hand. I assume you two are still in possession of a helicopter?"

"Yep. Parked it over at the Shinra Offices, Boss."

Tseng nodded. "Take Rufus to the office, and then you and Rude go after them. Offer whatever assistance you can. Elena and I will clean up here and join you in the air."

The redhead cast a longing glance at Elena, but nodded and joined his partner in flanking the executive, and escorting him away from the general direction of trouble. Elena watched him go, and nearly called out to him before he was out of earshot, but Tseng gently gripped her shoulder.

"Tell him _after_ this is finished."

"... Yes, sir," she replied, somewhat resigned.

* * *

"Pick up the pace, sir," Reno said as the three of them moved as quickly as possible through the disorder of the city center, the President sandwiched between the two Turks. "I don't want you out here and exposed any longer than you have to be."

"I _doubt_ they're coming back," Rufus said, dryly... but he did quicken his step. Truth be told, _he_ didn't want to be out here right now, either. That fall had rattled him more than he cared to admit, he suddenly realized... and at the moment, all he really wanted was to be safely tucked away in an office somewhere. And he would have _preferred_ to have his Turks there with him.

"I doubt it, too. But we're sure as hell not leavin' you out here on your own. Sooner you're safe, sooner we can see about gettin' Jenova back. Tch... Unless you wanna trust Strife not to destroy it soon as _he_ gets his hands on it, 'n there goes your cure."

Rufus shook his head. "Were I that concerned over its destruction, I never would have thrown it from the building and then tried to destroy it myself on the way down."

Reno stopped short, and Rufus very nearly walked right into him as he spun to face him.

"You _threw_ it?" the redhead repeated in disbelief. "What the _fuck_ were you thinkin'?"

The executive snorted softly. "You know, I'm sorely tempted to fire you a _second_ time... which I'm quite sure would be _some_ sort of record... for taking that tone with me. _Yes_. I threw it. You two idiots were about five seconds from being beaten to a pulp. A distraction was required."

Reno frowned, his expression an odd mixture of disapproval and gratitude. "... Yeah. Okay, now's definitely not the time, but when we get home, you 'n me 'n Tseng are gonna sit down and have very a long discussion about you riskin' your life like that," he said, before turning back towards their destination.

At last, they reached the large office building and mounted the stairs out front, bursting through the doors unapologetically and sweeping past the handful of staff that had crept out of their hiding places once the sounds of battle had faded.

"President Shinra!" a young receptionist gasped in surprise. The group largely ignored the stares and hushed whispers, and made for the elevator, taking it up to the top floor. Apparently word spread quickly, because by the time they arrived, the door to the largest of the floor's offices stood open, a middle aged man with a smartly trimmed beard waiting to escort them inside.

"Heh... Tuesti," Reno said with a nod of greeting. "Figures _you'd_ still be workin' even with all that shit goin' on outside."

Reeve Tuesti smiled fondly. The former Shinra executive didn't _officially_ work for the company anymore. He'd taken much of what remained of the Urban Development Department and formed the World Regenesis Organization. The WRO oversaw the construction of Edge, among other things... though they were heavily bankrolled by Shinra Company, and Reeve had his own space in the company's branch office in Edge. It was largely just a matter of public relations. Shinra's reputation had rebounded since the Meteor incident... but only slightly. WRO, for all intents and purposes, was still a division of Shinra... just not formally acknowledged as one.

"Actually... I've been lending a hand," he replied, "Or, rather, a robot. Cait Sith just boarded the Sierra with the rest of Avalanche."

"What a coincidence. We're on our way to help out, too. Look after the President for us, will ya?"

* * *

"Tseng! Behind you!" Elena called out, and Tseng automatically turned, gun leveled at the newly acquired target. He fired three shots in quick succession and the dog-like creature dropped. Several yards to his left, he heard two more shots, and turned in time to see another fall at the youngest Turk's feet.

"Do you see any more of them?!" he shouted, scanning the area. Most were already lying dead or dying when they'd arrived in the plaza, casualties of Bahamut's earlier indiscriminate rampage... but a handful of the sharp-clawed fiends were still slinking about.

"I think that's the last of them, sir."

A shrill scream rang out from a nearby side street, followed by an angry roar.

"It seems not," the Wutaiian Turk replied, and he took off toward the sound. He had been hoping to make this quick. In spite of his stubborn protests to the contrary... he was in no condition to be in the field. Everything ached, and every movement sent a fresh wave of pain shooting through his chest from the broken ribs he was doing his best to ignore. But there was a job to be done. His personal comfort was just going to have to wait.

He'd have liked to have seen Elena off her feet, as well. Her injuries may have been so minor as to have been negligible, but she was in no condition to be out here, either... though he had the sneaking suspicion that the woman would have protested his stance, had he voiced it. It was, perhaps, a little old fashioned of him, but Tseng had been raised under the notion that a pregnant woman was to be made comfortable and catered to. Certainly not placed in mortal peril and required to fight her way to safety.

The two Turks sprinted towards the cry of distress, rounding the corner just in time to see one of the creatures advancing on a small group. Elena fired first, and the Turk leader got in a shot or two for good measure, putting the monster down before rushing over to check on them. He blinked in momentary surprise as he recognized one of them.

"Justinia..."

It was only then that he realized that they were standing mere feet from the door to her clinic. Tseng tucked his gun into its holster and knelt down beside her. Her arm was bloodied, but beyond that, she seemed alright. The little girl clutching a moogle doll and the young woman clutching _her_ just as tightly appeared unscathed.

"... Tseng!" the doctor breathed, as her gaze flickered from him to Elena and back again. "Oh, thank Shiva. Yeh have no idea how glad I am ta see the two of yeh... I was convinced yeh were both dead." She eyed the bandage on his forehead and frowned. "What have yeh gone and done ta yerself, _now_?"

"Nothing you can't fix, I'm sure," he replied, smiling gently, as he helped the aging doctor to her feet. "But later. For now, let's get you somewhere safe."

* * *

"Got 'em," Reno's voice said over his headset, and Rude redirected his gaze towards the cockpit's windshield. Below them, on the highway, a full-on high speed chase had unfolded, with Kadaj's motorcycle in the lead, Cloud Strife hot on his trail, and Yazoo and Loz bringing up the rear. The intermittent flashes from the pair at the back, told him that Strife might have a bit of a problem. "Strife looks like he could use some help. What'dya say we swat us a couple of flies?"

Rude smirked. "Can I use the _big_ fly swatter?" he asked, deftly loading the rocket launcher he'd procured from the weapons locker back in Healin.

"Tch... You have _all_ the fun."

Kadaj took took the upcoming exit at the last moment, leaving Cloud – now thoroughly occupied with the other two – no time to alter course.

"Hmph... See if you can get 'em off Strife for a second or two and get me a clear shot," Rude replied. Reno grinned and thumbed the safety lock on the control stick off.

"You losers are chasin' the wrong guy..." he murmured. A moment later, the pavement behind the two men was riddled with a hail of bullets, as the redhead pulled the trigger on the copter's twin guns.

He had to admit... when Loz swung around on his bike and started shooting _back_ – with guns mounted to the front of the damn thing no less – he was more than a little surprised. Particularly when several of the shots hit the ballistic glass of the windscreen with a sharp crack. It didn't do any significant damage, but it was decidedly unnerving, watching bullets bounce off a transparent surface mere feet from his face.

"Rude, shoot those assholes already, will ya?"

Rude was already perched in the helicopter's doorway, the launcher resting on his shoulder as he took aim at the roadway just ahead of the two men. He pulled the trigger and the rocket sailed away from the copter, leaving a trail of white smoke behind it. Seconds later, the highway exploded, effectively cutting Yazoo and Loz off from their quarry.

"Heh... Hope they're not gonna take _that_ outta our paychecks," Reno's voice cut in, as he circled the resulting mess to watch their inevitably ticked-off opponents come to a screeching halt.

Except that they didn't.

Before either Turk even realized what was happening, Yazoo gunned it, racing up the remains of the overpass and sending himself, and his bike, airborne. Rude's eyes widened incredulously as the motorcycle and its rider were suddenly coming straight at him through the open side door. He tried to flatten himself against the back of the aircraft, but he didn't have the time. The front wheel hit him hard, sending him through the opening on the opposite side of the cabin.

"Reno!" he shouted as he fell, and as he did, he heard a gunshot and felt his stomach turn. The redhead was strapped in. If Yazoo had shot him, it would have been point-blank... even Reno wasn't quick enough avoid something like that.

The moment the thought crossed his mind... the helicopter began to spin wildly.

* * *

They'd hardly been in the air a few minutes. Ward had all but yelled at him to go and help someone who needed it, and he hadn't been inclined to disobey. He and Elena were now on their way to meet up with the rest of the team.

Tseng swore as he watched the out of control aircraft ahead of him begin a rapid descent.

"Reno!" Elena cried out next to him, and he glanced over long enough to see that her gaze was now firmly locked onto the damaged copter.

He'd never seen anything quite like it... and had two of his best friends not been careening towards certain doom, he might have even been impressed with the maneuver Yazoo had just pulled off. As it was, however, the only thing on his mind was doing whatever he could to save his Turks.

"Elena... Get that back door open," he ordered. If they could just survive the crash, he and Elena could get them out of there. Get them taken care of. And the sooner they were on board the better their chances would be.

The aircraft spun again, and Tseng inhaled sharply. Rude was clinging desperately to the copter's landing gear, trying to hang on as best he could while the machine itself was doing it's damnedest to shake him off. There was little he could do for him, however. Their course was taking them straight towards a communications tower. If they struck it, and he and Elena were too close, they might all end up going down.

* * *

He'd missed. Reno nearly laughed. The son of a bitch had him dead to rights... could've blown his head clean off at that range... and he'd _missed_. His relief didn't last long, however.

Reno heard Rude call his name and watched as the motorcycle passed through the cabin unscathed. He saw the rocket launcher plummet. His first thought was that Rude had almost certainly gone with it, and he instinctively banked in that direction. He wasn't entirely sure what the hell he thought he was going to do if he spotted his partner, but he had to try.

The attempt was short-lived. The control stick came free in his hand. He stared at it for half a second in utter confusion, until it suddenly dawned on him.

The fucker hadn't missed anything. He'd hit his _real_ target dead on. Reno ripped off his headset and unclipped himself from the restraint harness, hurrying into the back of the helicopter.

"No, no, _no_! Don't _do_ this to me!" he muttered, looking around and seeing no sign of his partner. He reached the door, peering down at the ground as the aircraft started to go into a spin. There was no sign of Rude...

Until, that is, he finally looked to his left, and almost laughed for a second time.

"Hey... Rude! You're alright!"

The bald Turk looked up with him from his awkward position on the helicopter's wheel well, glaring. "Oh, yeah. I'm just peachy," he shot back.

The redhead went to help him, but froze as a very massive and very _stationary_ object caught his eye. They were going to hit... and if they hit, it wasn't very likely that they were going to walk away from it.

"Oh, fuck..." he breathed. "Rude, bail! Now!"

"You nuts?" the other man asked in disbelief.

"Probably!" Reno replied... and then he jumped.

~end chapter 15~


	16. The Reunion

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 16: The Reunion**

 **by Desha**

 _ **Author's Note:** Okay... one more before bed._

* * *

It was a much longer drop than he'd initially thought... but somehow he managed to hit the roof, roll to a halt, and still have time to wonder how the fuck he was still in one piece before a deafening explosion rocked the city. Reno stared up at the sky for a moment, and slowly released a shaky breath before sitting up.

He glanced down at his left hand, which was still clutching the severed control stick and started laughing.

"You're insane."

"Yeah... I think maybe I _am_ ," he replied, glancing over at his partner with a wide grin.

"We could've been killed, jumping like that."

"Yep."

"... I need a vacation."

"Heh... You 'n me both," Reno agreed.

The sound of helicopter blades and a sudden rush of air pulled his attention skyward again.

"Guys!" Elena shouted, waving at them from the side door of a second copter. The redhead tossed his little souvenir aside and stood up as a ladder tumbled out, landing a few feet away.

"Guess the vacation's gonna have to wait," he noted, and started climbing. The moment he was safely aboard, Elena's arms wrapped around him.

"That's it! When this is over, I'm not letting you out of my sight again for a _month_!" she shouted over the noise of the engines. Reno smirked, and reached for a spare headset, pulling it on.

"Funny... I was about to say the same thing."

The pair of them helped Rude off of the ladder, and Elena hauled the door shut.

"Are you two alright?" Tseng's voice asked from the cockpit.

"Never better! Thinkin' about doin' it again, Boss..."

"Hmph... Speak for _yourself_ ," Rude replied, taking a seat in back. Elena joined him a moment later, as Reno slipped into the copilot's seat, next to Tseng.

"Don't s'pose we actually managed to _stop_ either of those fuckers..."

Tseng shook his head. "You only slowed them down. I'm afraid they're back on Cloud's tail, and catching up fast." He pointed toward the highway, and Reno saw the unmistakeable silhouettes of the two men... and farther ahead, that of Cloud as well, racing toward a tunnel.

"Where's Kadaj?" he asked.

"He's nearly reached the ruins at this point," the Turk leader replied, and Reno silently followed his gaze towards the looming remains of Midgar in the distance. It took him a moment to find him, but he soon spotted Kadaj's bike, traveling along a road on the outskirts of Edge.

"Assumin' Strife makes it outta that tunnel alive... we _could_ collapse the thing once he's clear. Seal those assholes inside."

"With what?" Elena asked from the back. "This is just a supply transport. It doesn't have any weapons."

Rude, meanwhile, was already rummaging through the small weapons locker in the back.

* * *

The crash itself hadn't been visible from Reeve's office... but the explosion certainly had been. Rufus had had no trouble at all picking out the plume of smoke and flames in the distance, and he wondered just what it was that had blown up now. Edge was rapidly turning into a warzone... Shinra and the WRO were going to have their work cut out for them, cleaning up the mess.

"It was a Shinra helicopter. Reno and Rude's," Reeve suddenly said, and the President froze for a moment before slowly turning to face him. "They're fine. They made it out in time," the former executive quickly added.

He relaxed slightly, and adopted his usual cool demeanor with a sneer. "I shouldn't be surprised. _Those_ two have cost my company upwards of three hundred million gil over the years in damages alone. If I thought there was any hope of them ever paying it off, I'd have started docking their pay ages ago."

Reeve chuckled softly. "If I didn't know better, I'd _almost_ think you didn't like them."

"I could _certainly_ do without the slum rat on occasion, at the very least," he spat back.

"You know... Two years ago, I _might_ have believed you."

Rufus snorted in contempt. "Were you still officially in my employ, I'd be tempted to demote you for that comment."

"Ah... But I'm not, now am I? And we've been working together too long now for me to be afraid of you, Rufus. You may as well drop the act. You're worried about them. We both know it."

The President turned back to the window without acknowledging the accusation, and wondered when he had become so transparent. He was silent for several moments, watching the smoke rise into the sky.

"I have only two things of any particular value to me these days, Reeve. My company... and my Turks. I don't wish to lose either of them."

* * *

"A-are you _sure_ about this... ?" Elena asked. Reno shrugged.

"Relax, 'Lena... we'll be outta the way _long_ before those two come flyin' through. Just gotta stick around long enough for Cloud to get clear."

The helicopter touched down just as Rude finished wiring up the second of two devices he'd crafted from the contents of the weapons locker. It wasn't much to look at. A couple of demolition charges, some det cord... and just for good measure, a handful of road flares, strapped on with duct tape. It wasn't pretty, but it would certainly cause a ruckus.

"Just... _try_ not to blow yourselves up, okay?" she replied, shaking her head.

Reno and Rude hopped to the ground, and the helicopter lifted off again, retreating to a safe distance. The redhead looked down at the device in his hand, studying it.

"Hey, partner... This thing got any bite to it?" he asked. Frankly, it looked a bit like something an old colleague of theirs would have whipped up... which, given that the guy had unintentionally blown himself to kingdom come, didn't exactly fill him with optimism. With that guy, you never knew if the thing was going to fizzle, or demolish half a city block. What he was currently holding in his hand didn't look much better.

"Shinra technology at its finest," Rude replied with a smirk.

"Gettin' into bomb making now, are ya?"

"If nothing else, it's flashy."

Reno grinned. "Oh, _good_ ," he chuckled, "I was worried I might get bored."

"You love it. I know," his partner smirked. Reno sighed and turned his gaze on the tunnel exit. The sound of motors could be heard from inside, by then... their targets were approaching.

"Looks like today we're clockin' out early..."

Seconds later, Strife sailed past them, sparing the two Turks the barest nod of acknowledgment before continuing on in his attempt to catch up to Kadaj. Reno and Rude simultaneously pressed the buttons on the explosives, starting the make-shift timers' countdown, and set them in the middle of the roadway.

"Let's get the fuck outta here," said Reno, and his partner nodded. The pair sprinted across the highway, hopping the divider and hunkering down behind several concrete barriers. It wasn't long before the whine of another engine could be heard exiting the tunnel, and a heartbeat later, the bombs went off. The entire overpass shook with the explosion, and Reno instinctively ducked lower behind his shelter as debris and burning road flares blasted past.

" _Fuck_ , Rude... The hell'd you put in those things!?"

"... Might've gone a little overboard with the det cord," the bald Turk replied with a shrug. Reno eyed him appraisingly.

"Remind me to keep you away from the explosives from now on."

Once he deemed it safe, Reno peered over the barricades. Part of the tunnel _had_ ,in fact, collapsed, though not enough to seal it shut. One motorcycle lay on its side, several yards from the blast zone. The other was nowhere in sight.

"Did we get 'em?" the redhead asked, somewhat disbelievingly. After the fight those two had put up back in town, the idea that something as minor as a hastily-scraped-together bomb could take them out seemed a little... well... ludicrous.

"Guess again," an all-too-familiar voice said behind him. Reno didn't even have time to turn. The next thing he knew, someone had seized him by the back of the collar, and hoisted him to his feet. A sharp kick to the center of his back sent him face first into the concrete wall in front of him.

"Oh, that's _it_!" he shouted angrily, and only just managed to dodge the boot aimed at his head, rolling to one side and brandishing his EMR. He didn't even pay much attention to where it made contact with Yazoo... The Turk simply cranked it up to full power and let it rip. The silver-haired man's eyes widened in surprise as the jolt sent him flying backwards. A faint wisp of smoke rose from the tip of the weapon, and Reno smirked. "Tch... suck on that, asshole."

Loz stopped in the middle of his attack against Rude and stared at the motionless figure of his comrade. A few seconds of indecision at last gave way to a quick retreat, as he scooped his brother from the pavement, and jumped from the edge of the overpass. The two Turks watched, somewhat shocked by the sudden disappearing act.

"You kill him?" Rude finally asked.

"Any normal person, that woulda roasted 'em alive and then some. These guys... who the fuck knows?" Reno shrugged and glanced down at the still-smoking mag-rod. "Fried the electronics, though. Hope they take the hint and run, 'cause this thing's not much better than a club at this point."

"... So why didn't you just do that to begin with?" Rude asked, teasingly. "Would've saved us a lot of trouble."

"Ah, shut up."

The helicopter reappeared overhead moments later.

* * *

The supply transport was too large for the Shinra Office's rooftop helipad. But with a very noticeable lack of traffic, there was plenty of room, at the moment, in the middle of the street. Tseng set them down directly in front of the building.

"Shall we go and reclaim our President now?" he asked. Reno glanced up from where Elena was trying to stem the bloody nose he'd acquired in his most recent fight.

"What about Kadaj?" he asked.

"I suspect that we will only be in the way," the Turk leader replied, nodding towards the airship in the distance.

"Tch... Once again, the planet get saved by those motherfuckers, while we're stuck sweepin' up the mess..." he muttered, shaking his head.

"Hold still," Elena gently chastised him. " _You're_ a mess."

Rude snorted softly. "He's _always_ a mess," he interjected, and Elena giggled, wiping the last of the blood away.

"There... I think it's stopped."

Tseng stood and made his way into the back of the aircraft, and pulled open the side door.

"Even if I were inclined to interfere in the battle, I believe our presence is wanted _here_ at the moment," he said. Reno looked up to see Rufus making his way, unaccompanied, down the front steps of the building.

"Knew I shoulda locked the little shit in a closet," the redhead groused, petulantly. "I fuckin' _told_ him to stay put, inside, where it's safe... ish. Son of a bitch _never_ listens to me."

Tseng and Rude were already disembarking, in spite of Reno's complaints. Elena offered him her hand and pulled him to his feet.

"One little bloody nose, and you're in a terrible mood." She grinned, shaking her head.

"Tch... one little _broken_ nose, is more like it," he returned, but smiled as she leaned in to place a kiss on his lips. "More of _that_ should fix it, through..."

"After we check on the President," Elena whispered, teasingly. He followed her out to the street, moving to stand beside the Turk leader and his partner, and couldn't help but notice just how relieved Rufus actually looked. Before anyone could say anything, however, the clouds above them opened up, and a torrent poured down on the streets of Edge. Reno swore, and looked upward.

"Oh, that's just fuckin' great. Now I'm soaked _and_ in pain."

When no one commented after a few seconds, however, his pulled his gaze away from the storm clouds and redirected it at the rest of his team... who now all seemed to be looking directly at Rufus with expressions of varying degrees of shock. Reno blinked as he realized what had captured their attention.

Rufus pulled back his sleeve, giving them a better look at the pale green glow that had enveloped the lesions on his arm left by his Geostigma infection. It grew in intensity for a moment or two, and then faded away... leaving behind nothing but pale, unblemished skin.

"Sir..." Elena gasped. Rufus could only stared at the former site of the infection, mouth slightly agape.

"Sir?" Tseng ventured, reaching a hand out to prod his charge back to reality. The President swallowed sharply, and looked up at him.

"It's... _gone_."

The rain ceased just as quickly as it had begun, and the sun suddenly broke through the clouds.

"Oh, sir! It's gone!" Elena cried, with a laugh, as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly for a moment, before suddenly realizing the extraordinarily unprofessional nature of what she was doing. And in public no less. The youngest Turk awkwardly pulled away, blushing furiously. "I-I... I'm sorry, sir," she stammered. "I don't know what came over me."

Reno snickered and draped his arm over her shoulders. "I think 'Lena's glad you're better, sir."

"As are we all," Tseng added, smiling widely.

"I suppose I can forgive the lapse in decorum just this once..." Rufus replied, though the faint upward quirk of the corners of his mouth belied his serious tone.

By then, other people were making their way out onto the streets, and Reno could hear the sound of phones beginning to ring as, he suspected at any rate, the news spread. Tseng quickly herded them back towards the safety of the office. Reeve was waiting for them in the lobby. As they approached, he removed the earpiece that kept him in contact with the Cait Sith robot and smiled.

"There are reports coming in from all over the city... People saying the rain washed away their Geostigma."

"And Kadaj?" Rufus asked.

"Defeated. Gone. Just moments ago."

Tseng chuckled softly. "In that case... Elena. _Now_ you may tell him."

Elena laughed excitedly and turned to Reno, who looked over at Tseng in curiosity, and then back to his wife.

"Tell me what?" he asked, confused. Her grin widened, and she reached for his hand.

"Reno, I'm..." she began, pausing somewhat nervously before pushing forward. "I'm... pregnant."

The redhead blinked, and for a moment, he could only stare blankly. It took him several attempts to find his voice.

"... S-say that again?"

"I'm pregnant," Elena repeated, "We're... going to have a baby."

"... That's... what I thought you said," he managed... and promptly passed out at her feet.

~end chapter 16~


	17. The Homecoming

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – Chapter 17: The Homecoming**

 **by Desha**

"Reno? Reno... can you hear me?"

"Hmph... Think you broke him."

"Pathetic."

"Rude... Help me with him, please. Elena, some water perhaps?"

Reno groaned as he struggled to make sense of the sudden flurry of activity surrounding him. When he at last opened his eyes, he found himself in one of the lobby's comfortable leather chairs, with several familiar faces staring down at him in concern.

"... What happened?" he asked, still somewhat dazed. Rufus snorted in contempt.

"You _fainted_ , you idiot. Some Turk..."

Someone placed a paper cup filled with water into his hand, and he absently took a sip... only to almost immediately choke as memory suddenly came flooding back.

"You're _pregnant_?!" he sputtered, staring wide-eyed at Elena. Rude burst out laughing beside him, and even Tseng and Rufus began snickering loudly after a moment.

"Yeah..." she said with a smile as she nodded.

"You're not fuckin' with me... right?" the redhead inquired, which only made Rude laugh harder.

"I'm... pretty sure... that's _how_ she ended up... pregnant..." his partner managed, between gasps, which was enough to finally draw a real laugh from Tseng as well... though the Turk leader quickly regained his composure.

"It's not a joke," Elena replied, squeezing into the seat beside him, and wrapping her arms around her very shellshocked husband. "I went to see Dr. Ward right before we left for the crater to make an appointment with her. And... then I found out for _sure_ a little later."

"So... I'm... gonna be... a _dad_?"

Rufus rolled his eyes. "That _is_ generally what one can infer when one's wife is pregnant."

Reno ignored him and leaned forward, capturing Elena's lips with his. When he broke away, he was grinning widely.

"I'm gonna be a dad!" he repeated, and turned to look up at his fellow Turks, who were still hovering over him. "'Lena's gonna have a baby!"

His expression suddenly shifted to one of concern. "We gotta get _stuff_! Like a crib, 'n bottles, 'n toys, 'n tiny little clothes, 'n ..."

"Perhaps we should get him home," Tseng interjected, and smiled at Elena. "I believe Rude may have been correct in his earlier assessment. You broke him."

* * *

"'Lena?"

Elena gazed down at her husband, who was laying with his head on her lap, and smiled. She let her fingers glide tenderly through his hair, drawing a soft sigh from her lover.

"Yes?"

"How come ya didn't tell me sooner? I mean... you had to've at least suspected for awhile if ya went to all the trouble of makin' an appointment with the Doc."

"I didn't want you worried about it if it all turned out to be a false alarm," she replied, and hesitated before adding, "And... maybe _I_ was a little worried, too. We weren't exactly planning this, after all. We've barely even talked about it until now. And you've never really said you _wanted_ children."

Reno looked up at her. "You thought I wouldn't want it?" he asked, puzzled..

"A little."

"... 'Lena."

"I know," she said, still smiling. "Just me being paranoid. And a little terrified. I mean... you've _got_ to be at least a _little_ scared about being a father. Believe me, the idea of being a mother is just as scary."

Reno lifted her hand and brought it to his lips, gently kissing each of the knuckles in turn.

"A _little_ scared? 'Lena, I'm scared _shitless_ at the moment," he snickered. "Doesn't mean I don't want this."

He sat up and twisted around to face her, before pulling her into his lap. Elena leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing in content.

"I love you. And I'm going to love our baby. No matter how mind-numbingly terrifying the very idea is."

Elena laughed. "And just what do _you_ have to be terrified of? _I'm_ the one who gets to spend the next nine months getting fat and swollen and grouchy."

"Yeah... and _I_ gotta _survive_ the next nine months of you gettin' fat and swollen and grouchy," he teased, "... And then I gotta be a dad. Which is somethin' I have absolutely no idea how to do."

"I don't know how to be a mom, either," she pointed out.

"Yeah... but at least _you_ remember havin' one. I never even knew my dad, and I barely remember my mom. Tseng's the closest thing I have to a parent... but unless we're raisin' this kid to be a Turk from birth, I'm not sure how much good that's gonna do me."

Elena kissed him and let her fingers twine into his hair.

"I guess we'll just have to learn together, then."

"Oh, for Ramuh's sake... If this gets any more maudlin I'm going to vomit," Rufus stated as he wandered into the front room.

The pair looked up from their position on the couch, apparently having forgotten they weren't alone in the lodge.

"... Which would be extremely unfortunate, as Rude has requested I inform everyone that dinner is ready," he continued. "I can only assume he meant _you_ as well, even though you seem perfectly content feasting upon one another's company."

Reno snickered and stood up, helping Elena to her feet. "Yeah, yeah... we're comin'."

Rufus paused for a moment, still standing awkwardly in the doorway. He sighed.

"And... just in case I've given you the wrong idea... Congratulations. I _am_ happy for the two of you. Should you need anything, please ask."

"That mean you'll be babysittin' for us when we want a night out?" the redhead asked, grinning.

"... I rescind the offer," the President immediately deadpanned, and turned, walking back towards the hallway. Elena giggled and followed, pulling her husband along behind her.

As they stepped into the surprisingly dark dining room, Reno couldn't help but feel as though he were being watched. Apparently Elena had the same impression, because he felt her suddenly tense. The suspense didn't last long, however.

" _SURPRISE!_ " several voices chorused, and the lights overhead flicked on, revealing not only dinner, but a large cake in the center of the table. Reno took an instinctive step back, but then laughed as he realized what was going on.

"I _told_ you so!" someone shouted from behind him, and the redhead turned to find Lira grinning from ear to ear, Cole balanced somewhat precariously on her hip as the toddler stretched his arms out towards the cake that was far out of his reach.

"Shiva help me, I hope the little one takes after _Elena_ and not his or her troublemaker of a father..." Dr. Ward added, smiling warmly. "And I _thought_ I told yeh ta put some ice on that nose! It's most definitely broken and yer not going ta be happy if it swells."

"Geez... Can't even catch a break at my own party..." the redhead said in mock annoyance.

"It's not exactly a _proper_ baby shower," Tseng said, ushering the couple over to the table and pressing them into their seats, "... but given the short notice, I think we did fairly well."

"So? What are you namin' her?" Lira demanded. Reno rolled his eyes.

"For fuck's sake, Lira... I just found out... what... three hours ago? We haven't started talkin' about names yet." Rude set plates in front of the happy couple as the others joined them at the table. The redhead suddenly looked up at her again, a curious expression on his face. "And just what makes ya think it's gonna be a girl, anyway?"

"Because I decided a long time ago that if your first didn't turn out to be twins – _which_ I'm still hoping for, by the way – it was going to be a girl," she stated matter-of-factly, drawing several snickers from around the table.

Reno shook his head, chuckling. "Sure, Lira... whatever you say."

"I've always been partial to name Aiko," Tseng said, a joking tone to his voice. Rufus quickly shook his head.

"Aiko Donovan? It's a bit of an odd combination, don't you think? Personally, I like Sarah."

"I quite like Esme... or Fiona," Dr. Ward was quick to volunteer.

Lira giggled softly and took a bite of her dinner roll. "You could name her after your _best friend_..." she hinted.

"... Yeah... I'm not so sure 'Rude' would be the best name for a girl," the redhead countered, with a smirk. Lira stuck her tongue out at him, and Rude himself snickered beside her.

"I think we have _plenty_ of time to come up with a good name," Elena laughed. "Right now, though... the pregnant lady wants some of that _cake_."

Reno leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, grinning. "Heh... Sorry, but you know Rude's rule, 'Lena. No dessert 'til ya finish your dinner. Right partner?"

Rude chuckled and moved toward the dessert. He cut a huge slice from it and dutifully brought it over to her... much to the redhead's shock. In response, he simply shrugged.

"If the pregnant lady wants cake, the pregnant lady gets cake."

* * *

Elena curled up in Reno's arms, listening to the sound of him breathing softly in the darkness. She'd missed this so much. Being apart had been torture, and she was so grateful to have him back. She trailed her fingers along the bare skin of his shoulder and smiled.

"Can't sleep?" his voice asked quietly, and her smile widened.

"More like I don't _want_ to sleep," she replied, nuzzling his chest. "I've missed you."

Reno's arms tightened around her, pulling her protectively against his body. "I missed you more," he whispered.

"Oh?" she said, teasingly, "Is that why you fell asleep almost as soon as we were in bed instead of ravishing me for hours?"

She heard a faint groan from her husband and felt his lips begin to leave a trail of tender kisses along her neck.

"... You have no idea how much I want to do just that," he purred against her skin, and she shuddered in pleasure.

"So what's stopping you?" she asked, coyly. He paused, pulling away slightly.

"... I... er... C-can we?" he asked, "I mean, do _you_ want to? 'Cause I don't want you feelin' like you _have_ to just 'cause _I_ want to..."

Her brow furrowed, puzzled. "Why in Shiva's name would you think I wouldn't want you to make love to me?"

"... Well... 'cause. You're pregnant, and all. I kinda just figured you wouldn't be in the mood for... ya know... _awhile_."

Elena snorted softly. "Not likely. Dr. Ward says the pregnancy hormones will probably have me in the mood _more_ often, pretty soon."

Reno was silent for a moment, and even in the darkness, Elena could almost _see_ him processing that bit of information. Suddenly, he rolled over, pinning her firmly against the mattress.

"... Wanna try for twins?" he asked, an eager note in the question, and now she _could_ see the wide grin on his face in the bit of moonlight that had found its way past the curtains. She smiled.

"I... _don't_ think that's how it works, Reno..." she replied, giggling. The redhead laid claim to her lips, a bruising kiss filled with intense desire. When he finally let her come up for air, she was a little light-headed.

"Wanna try anyway?"

~end chapter 17~


	18. The Epilogue

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – The Epilogue**

 **by Desha**

 _Nine months later..._

She stretched her fingers out as far as they would go, desperate to reach her target.

"Just... a little... more..."

It was no use. It was too far.

"... What in Ramuh's name are you doing?"

Elena awkwardly straightened up, having to push herself upwards from her semi-crouched position using the edge of the coffee table for leverage. A deep blush spread over her face.

"... I... er... Well, it's just that..." she stammered, and at last sighed. "I've... been eating a _lot_ of those cookies lately. I've been craving chocolate _constantly_ and I can't seem to control it. So I asked Reno to put them somewhere I couldn't reach them before I get to the point that I'll never lose the weight." She scowled faintly. "He thought it would be absolutely hilarious to put them on the _floor_. And the _worst_ part is, I really _can't_ reach them there! They've been sitting there... _torturing me_... since he and Rude left this morning."

Rufus snickered approvingly. "That's actually quite clever..." he mused. Elena shot him a dirty look. The President calmly bent down and picked up the package of cookies and went to pass them to the heavily pregnant Turk... then thought better of it and extracted two from the box for her. She smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, sir."

"Just how much longer is this to go on? I could swear you've been pregnant for years at this point."

Elena grinned as she stuffed one of the confections into her mouth, savoring the rich chocolately goodness of it.

"Some days, it _feels_ like it," she replied, pressing a hand to her lower back and making her way over to the couch, a slight waddle in her walk, "Two more weeks. Two more _long_ weeks. And if this kid thinks it's going to be staying in there any _longer_ than that, it's got another thing coming."

Rufus helped her down, letting her take hold of his arm long enough to ease herself down onto the cushions. She felt a sharp kick and glanced down at her belly.

"Yeah, that's right. You heard me. Two more weeks and I'm evicting you. It's your _father's_ turn to carry you around all day for awhile."

The executive snorted softly. "Oh, I can just imagine how _that_ will play out." He shook his head vaguely and turned back the way he'd come. "In any case... I only came down to tell you that I've dispatched Tseng to Junon for the afternoon, so it's just you and I here at the moment. If you need me, I'll be in my office on a video conference with Reeve."

"Yes, sir," she replied, lifting her feet onto the coffee table in front of the couch and sighing in relief. Her ankles were swollen again, and Reno wasn't around to rub them for her... but the elevation helped a little. Rufus disappeared with a slight nod, leaving her on her own.

They were all still in Healin. There wasn't really any _reason_ to be, now that Rufus had been cured of his Geostigma... but the President had decided that he was quite content in the little mountain retreat, and for the time being, anyway, enjoyed running his company from a bit of a distance. He traveled frequently to meet with his department heads in Junon and Edge... but by and large, he'd grown to like being out of the limelight and relished the solitude that Healin afforded him.

The Turks, of course, had also stayed. The Shinra Medical Division was still in residence as well, but as they no longer needed so much space for treating patients, a number of the buildings had been restored to their original purpose, and relinquished to the Turks for their own lodgings. Rufus had remained in the main cabin, and turned it into a sort of home-headquarters hybrid, with the lower floor being open to all Shinra personnel and the upper floor his private abode and office.

Technically speaking, Elena was on leave. She had worked, restricted to light duty, until about a month ago when mobility started to get a bit more difficult... but now she was sidelined entirely until after the baby came. Sitting alone in their little cabin near the lookout all day on her own had very quickly grown unbearable, however... so she frequently found herself occupying the Shinra cabin instead as her fellow Turks came and went, seeing to whatever assignments Rufus set for them. Rufus seemed to enjoy her company, and it usually let her see Reno throughout the day.

Which was good for the redhead... because the closer her due date got, the more protective of her he became. He didn't seem to want to admit it, but she'd been getting the distinct impression lately that he was worried she might decide to have the baby without him. Granted, it was certainly a possibility that she could go into labor while he was on assignment elsewhere... but Rufus, in a small act of kindness, had been keeping him relatively nearby for the past few weeks, rarely sending him farther away than Edge or Kalm.

She giggled quietly to herself. For all his worries that he didn't know what he was doing, Reno had been doing a fantastic job taking care of _her_. Her mood swings had been terrible for awhile, and he'd put up with it all – even the time she'd screamed at him mercilessly for eating the last slice of jalape _ño_ and pineapple pizza... which she hadn't even _wanted_ until he'd taken it. She'd been awful to him on more than one occasion, and all he ever seemed to do in response was love her.

Elena glanced over at the clock and sighed. It was almost noon... She should really get some lunch. _Real_ food... not the junk she'd been trying to talk herself out of eating all morning. With a grunt, she began the tedious process of extricating herself from her seat. The couch was deep and plush, and not long ago, she'd discovered it was almost impossible for her to get off of it now without a great deal of rolling and flopping and flailing. If it hadn't been for the fact that the damn thing was so comfortable, she'd have avoided it like the plague.

She'd nearly made it to her feet when a sudden pain made her gasp. She blinked in confusion for a moment... before realizing that her water had just broken.

"Wait! I was only kidding about the whole eviction thing! You're not supposed to be here for another two weeks!" she cried, slightly panicked, and still _very_ stuck. "Oh... Sir?! _Rufus_! Help!"

* * *

"Two more weeks 'til the big day," Rude said, lightly elbowing his partner as they made their way towards the center of town. "You ready to be a dad?"

Reno smirked. "I think _'Lena's_ ready for me to be a dad... She's beyond sick of bein' pregnant. Think if it was up to her, she'd've had the kid a month ago." He snickered softly. "Don't tell her I said so... 'cause I'm pretty sure she'd murder me in my sleep... but the last few weeks have been _kinda_ hilarious 'cause she's so... ya know... _big_ right now. You should see her tryin' to get outta bed in the mornin'."

"Hmph... You're right. You'd be a dead man if she heard you say that," Rude chuckled. "You guys pick a name yet?"

"... We still got two more weeks."

Rude stopped short. "You really _haven't_? I thought you just weren't telling us because you two decided not to find out the gender ahead of time..."

The redhead shrugged awkwardly. "Yeah. We're havin' trouble agreein' on a name. She likes Richard for a boy. I... _don't_. Knew a Richard once... Totally lived up to the name. He was a dick. I kinda like James... or, Jamie, _really_. Or maybe Alexander. Alex is a cool name."

"What if it's a girl?" Rude asked as they stopped in front of the mako reactor. It was one of the few that was still active... but not for much longer. Now that the solar array on the southern plains was finished and funneling power to the village, it was scheduled for decommissioning. The pair were there to oversee the first crucial steps of the process, when some of the more classified bits of the technology would be vulnerable to theft. They were going to be there for the next three days or so.

"'Lena likes Monica."

"And you don't?" his partner ventured. Reno shrugged.

"I... _guess_ it's alright."

"But... ?"

He hesitated for a moment. "If it's a girl, I sorta want to name her... Aria."

"After your mom."

"Is that weird?" he quickly asked. Rude shook his head.

"What's Elena say about it?"

"... I haven't _exactly_ mentioned it to her yet. I mean... all she really knows about my mom is that she worked the streets, got knocked up and had me, and then... killed herself. Not really the best namesake, I s'pose, but... she was my mom. I loved her. And I don't have anything left of hers to pass on to my kids... 'cept her name."

"So tell Elena _that_. She'll understand."

"I know she would... I think that's why I haven't said anything. I feel kinda guilty, actually. She's the one that's been stuck doin' all the work for the last nine months. I just want her to be happy."

Rude snorted softly and rolled his eyes. "It's just as much _your_ baby as it is hers. I think you have the right to help name it."

"Yeah. Look, I'll say somethin'. We still got two whole weeks. Not like we gotta decide _today_."

"Suit yourself," Rude replied with a shrug,"But you know what happens when you put things off to the last min–"

His admonishment was abruptly curtailed by the sound of Reno's PHS loudly playing the ringtone he'd set for the president. The redhead rolled his eyes and fished his phone out of his pocket.

"Reno here... what's up, sir?"

"Back here. Now!" Rufus demanded, and in the background, Reno could hear a low, pained moan. He froze, suddenly terrified.

"W-what's goin' on?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Well, I'm hardly an expert... but I'm relatively confident that the world's population is about to be increased by one. And as I would desperately prefer _not_ to have to act as your wife's birth coach... _GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE NOW_!"

For a moment, Reno couldn't speak... couldn't even think. Rude plucked the phone from his hand.

"We're on our way," he said, and ended the call before tucking it back into Reno's pocket. He shook the other man slightly, and the redhead snapped back to reality.

"Baby..." he managed, a panicked look in his eyes, "... 'Lena's havin' the baby!"

Without another word, he took off at a sprint back towards where they'd left the helicopter, Rude doing his best to keep up. Reno beat him to the aircraft by several yards, and was shakily strapping himself into the pilot's seat by the time the other Turk finally boarded. Rude took one look at him and shook his head.

"Hmph... I think _I'd_ betterdo the flying..."

* * *

"Oohhhh... I'm never letting Reno touch me again..." Elena moaned as she breathed through the contraction.

"If this is the result, _I'm_ never letting him touch you again, either!" Rufus hissed, grinding his teeth as the woman's grip all but crushed his hand. Finally, the pressure eased, and he was able to tear himself from her grasp. He cradled his injured hand as the Turk lay panting on the bed.

"Now, now... That's just the pain talking. Yeh don't mean it," Dr. Ward chuckled, as she monitored her patient's pulse.

" _She_ may not, but _I_ most certainly do," Rufus replied. Ward placed her hands on her hips and glared at the President.

"No one is forcing yeh ta stay, yer royal highness. If yer not going ta help, then off with yeh!"

For a brief moment, he considered doing just that. This wasn't _his_ responsibility, after all. It was Reno's... and if the damned slum rat knew what was good for him, he'd be here shortly. He'd very nearly made up his mind to go... when he made the mistake of looking down at Elena's pleading expression. Rufus sighed and offered her the hand that _wasn't_ presentlythrobbing in pain. He couldn't just leave her.

"Hmph..." Ward said, smiling, "I always _knew_ there was a heart in there somewhere... Now then, Elena dear... Yer coming along nicely but its not quite time yet. Yeh just hang in there."

"'Lena!?" Reno's voice shouted from somewhere down the hall, and Rufus rolled his eyes.

"What? Does he think you're going to run out to meet him?" he snarked. A few seconds later the door swung open, admitting a very harried-looking redhead.

"'Lena..." Reno breathed, more or less ignoring everyone but his wife and rushing to her bedside. He grinned slightly. "What's the big idea doin' this early? Were you really _that_ desperate to get this kid outta there?"

"How's she doing?" Rude asked from the doorway.

"Judging by the amount of force she exerted on my fingers during that last contraction... I think this baby may have gifted her with super strength," the President muttered as Reno leaned down and kissed Elena's forehead.

"Alright... enough visiting. Anyone who's not either a licensed medical professional or the parent of this child... get out," Dr. Ward interrupted, shooing the other two men out of the room. Rufus snorted softly but did as he was commanded, Rude following closely behind. They made their way into a small but comfortable waiting room at the far end of the hall.

"Does Tseng know yet?" Rude asked, and the other man shook his head.

"I was a bit preoccupied with the more immediate situation. I only had time to summon the slum rat... though, I suppose we _should_ notify him now. You know how he hates to be kept out of the loop."

* * *

Tseng arrived nearly an hour later, and found Rufus seated alone in the small waiting room.

"Sir? Have I missed it?" he asked, with an uncharacteristic eagerness apparent in his voice.

"Not yet. Though apparently it could be any time now." The president snorted softly and added, "Or it could be hours from now. No one around here seems to be especially clear on the schedule."

"And Rude?"

"He called that Lira woman to tell _her_ and she insisted on coming up. He went to get her. I suspect he'll be back momentarily. He left nearly thirty minutes ago."

Just as the words left his mouth the very subject of their conversation reappeared, escorting Lira and her son.

"Well?" Lira demanded, "Do we have a baby yet?!"

"Not yet," Rufus and Tseng inadvertently chorused.

* * *

"That's it... yer doing just fine," Ward said, encouragingly, as Elena sank back against the pillows, breathing heavily, "I think just one more push will do it..."

"I... I don't think I can push anymore," she panted. She felt liked all of her strength had deserted her... and she was exhausted. Reno gently squeezed her hand.

"Come on, 'Lena... you got this. I know ya do. One more."

"One more..." she repeated, her voice little more than a whisper, as the now-familiar contraction began again, accompanied by the overwhelming need to bear down.

"That's it! Push!" the doctor coached, and Elena groaned as she obeyed. The groan gradually grew louder and louder until it was very nearly a scream, as she silently swore that this baby was being born and it was being born _now_. Just as she was sure she had nothing left in her, something gave.

" _There_ she is!" Ward proclaimed, "Yeh've got yerselves a little girl..."

Elena collapsed back against the pillows with a slightly manic laugh. "A girl?" she said between gasps, as she slowly began to catch her breath. A moment later a loud wail of displeasure echoed around the room.

"And quite a set of lungs on her, too," Ward chuckled, as she gently cleared away the residue of birth and snipped through the cord before placing her on her mother's chest. Elena cradled her new daughter, and looked up at Reno, who was gazing at them in a mixture of awe and pride.

"... She's as beautiful as you are, 'Lena," he said at last, his voice thick with tears. He reached out, trailing a single finger along her delicate little cheek, and grinned as he patted the soft fuzz of red hair on top of her head. "Guess I'm not the only redhead around here anymore..."

"Well? Are yeh going ta stand there gaping at her, or are yeh going ta hold yer daughter?" Dr. Ward gently teased him. Elena smiled up at him, and somewhat hesitantly, relinquished her hold on the little girl, passing her to her father. Reno cradled her against his chest.

"She's... she's so perfect. Just like her mother," he breathed, and glanced over at Elena, "... 'Lena... We have a little girl..."

Elena giggled softly. "A little girl we still have to _name_ ," she reminded him.

"... Yeah. _About_ that. I kinda had an idea on that..."

* * *

"How much longer is this going to take?" the President moaned.

"Sir... be patient. These things can't be rushed," Tseng assured him, as he handed the younger man a cup of coffee from the small dispenser in the corner.

"We've been here for hours."

Lira shot him a glare. "When _you_ have the inclination to push somethin' the size of a watermelon out of an opening the size of your fist, _then_ you can complain about how long it takes. Until then, suck it up, Mr. President."

Tseng half-expected the uptight executive to yell right back at the woman, but he remained curiously silent at the beratement. In fact, Tseng was quite sure that Rufus had paled slightly at the rather descriptive visual. Cole, who had been happily playing with with his toys in the corner for quite some time, suddenly squealed and got up, racing toward the door.

"Well now! There's sweetest my little patient!" Ward laughed, scooping him up and cuddling him. Everyone in the room was immediately on their feet.

"Well?" Tseng asked, as the others eagerly crowded in around him.

"We have beautiful, healthy little girl," Ward replied, beaming, "And a very happy set of new parents, who would very much like ta introduce yeh."

The entire group surged forward, only to be blocked by the sheer force of Dr. Ward's glare.

"Yeh are _not_ ta go storming in there like a herd of wild animals!" she chastised them. "And yer not ta stay more than a few minutes, either... Elena is exhausted and so's the baby. Yeh can go in and say hello ta the wee one quick like, but then they need ta rest. Is that understood?"

"Thoroughly," Tseng assured her, and she finally released them. Tseng didn't wait for the others. He slipped past the doctor and down the hall, and eased open the door to the delivery room. Reno looked up as he entered and grinned. Elena, too, though still damp with sweat and clearly only just barely clinging to wakefulness, smiled at his approach.

"It's a girl," Reno said softly, carefully taking the baby from Elena's arms. His gaze shifted to his partner as he crept in behind Tseng, and then to Rufus and Lira. "Heh... you guys decide to throw a party without us, or somethin'?"

"Oh, Reno... She's adorable," Lira whispered, pushing to the front of the group, and holding out a finger. The baby instinctively grasped the digit, holding on tightly. "You look just like your mommy... yes, you do... with your daddy's hair..."

"Thank _Shiva_ she got her mom'slooks," Rude said with a smirk.

"Hmph... and hopefully her brains as well," Rufus chimed in.

"Oh, don't listen to them. They don't know _what_ they're talking about," Lira cooed to the tiny infant. She looked up excitedly. "So? What's her name?"

The redhead gazed back at Elena. "You wanna introduce 'em, or should I?"

"You go ahead," she replied, sleepily.

"Heh... Guys... Meet my little girl. Aria Helen Donovan," he said in a reverent tone. His gaze turned on Rude a moment later. "We... decided to name her after _both_ our moms."

"Awww..." Lira sighed, "That's _so_ sweet. Oh, dear Shiva, I wanna hold her... Can I hold her?"

"Absolutely not. One of yeh gets ta hold her, then yeh'll _all_ want ta hold her, and then I'll _never_ get yeh out of my hair," Ward stated firmly. "I _told_ yeh... a quick hello ta the baby, and then yeh leave them be. Now out. Yeh can see them tomorrow."

There was a collective groan of disappointment, but no one was willing to stand up to the good doctor... and so, one by one, they slunk out of the room until only Tseng remained. Reno passed Aria back to her mother, and turned to the Turk leader, grinning widely.

"She's beautiful, Reno," Tseng said, smiling. "You're going to be a wonderful father."

"I hope so... She deserves the best."

Tseng chuckled softly and pulled his protégé into a warm hug, and felt the younger man relax in his grasp.

"She already has it."

~The End~


	19. ? ? ? ? ?

**Taking Care of Reno: Advent Children – ? ? ? ? ?**

 **by Desha**

 _ **Author's Note:** I hope you've all enjoyed this story. And as a little treat (because today's my birthday!) here's a little bonus..._

* * *

 **The Keys to the Kingdom  
** _ **You have earned a trophy!**_

 _Loading secret bonus scene..._

 _Three years later..._

Rude struggled valiantly against his assailant, but it was no use. Her grip was just too tight, and it was slowly cutting off his airway...

"Can't... breathe..." he gasped, reaching out toward his partner for help. Reno rolled his eyes.

"She's never gonna learn proper technique if you keep fakin' it like that..." he said with a smirk. Rude sighed and sat up, bringing his attacker along with him.

"Aria, stop trying to choke out your uncle Rude, please," Elena called from the other room, "I need him in the kitchen."

"But we're _playing_!"

"Heh... Sorry, baby," Reno replied, lifting her off of Rude's back, "Mommy says Uncle Rude needs to come help her, and we always listen to Mommy. Or else. You'll have to play with Daddy for awhile." He flipped her over, suspending her by her ankles so that the skirt of her dress flopped over her face, and the little red-haired girl giggled madly.

"Put me down, Daddy!" she squealed. Reno laughed.

"Gonna have to make me!"

The three year old squirmed in his grip, and wrapped her arms around one of his legs before poking sharply at the back of his knee. The Turk dutifully dropped to the floor.

"Ahhh! Oh, the pain!" he moaned, and his daughter laughed.

" _Daddy_..." she giggled. A loud knock at the door interrupted their 'training session', and Reno sat up, grinning.

"Go see who's at the door!"

Aria released him and darted towards the door, reaching up for the knob and pulling it open.

"Uncle Tseng!" she cried, and immediately lifted her arms, demanding to be picked up. Tseng chuckled and obliged.

"Ah... There's the birthday girl. Remind me... _How_ old are you today?"

"Three!" Aria shouted.

"Hmph... Three going on thirty," a new voice commented from behind the Turk leader. "Are you aware that last week she made a formal request to become a Turk? And was _very_ displeased when I had to deny it for failing to meet the age requirements."

"We got age requirements now?" Reno snickered as Rufus followed his head Turk inside, several colorfully wrapped packages in his arms.

"Age requirements for what?" Lira asked, pushing past the two men standing in the doorway, and shoving a present into Reno's hands. Aria squirmed in Tseng's arms and he set her down, allowing her to race over to the little boy hiding behind his mother's leg.

"Hi, Cole!" she greeted him.

"Hi..." her friend replied, with a shy smile. "Happy birthday, Aria."

Tseng shook his head as the two scampered off to play away from the grownups.

"Abandoned for a younger man..." he sighed, and glanced up at Reno. "Justinia asked me to let you know that she'll be a little late and to start without her. I'm afraid Viridia is a bit tied up, as well... though she may be able to make it for dinner tonight."

"Heh... Tied up?" Reno snickered, "Never knew you were into that sorta thing, Boss..."

"Oh... Wow! I turn around for two seconds, and everyone's already here!" Elena said, stepping out of the kitchen, before Tseng could comment. Rufus gave a quiet snort.

"It's not as if we had particularly far to travel."

"Hmph... speak for yourself," Lira replied. "And _I_ had to come all that way with a five year old."

Elena giggled as Rude poked his head into the room. "Can I get anyone a drink? Lunch will be ready in about ten more minutes..."

"And will last about _five_ minutes, at which point Aria will demand her cake and presents," Elena added.

"Five _whole_ minutes? That's pretty impressive," Lira laughed. "My Cole would have already _eaten_ the cake and started in on the presents by now if I let him. Thank Shiva there's only _one_ of him." She suddenly flashed the couple a grin. " _Which_ reminds me... When are you two gonna start workin' on number two already?"

Reno laughed and pulled his wife against his side, placing a kiss on her cheek. "I dunno. 'Lena? You wanna try for another one tonight?"

To his surprise, Elena didn't respond right away. He turned to look at her, confused by the expression she now wore.

"What?" he asked, slightly concerned.

"... Um... W-well... About that," she began, blushing faintly. "I was sort of saving it for _later_ , but... I... er... went to see Dr. Ward yesterday. And... we don't _have_ to try. We've kind of... already _succeeded_."

Lira squealed in excitement and Reno suddenly found himself flanked on either side by Tseng and Rude, who'd firmly taken hold of each arm.

"... 'Lena?"

She grinned and nodded. He moved to hold her, but found himself still restrained.

"Would you two get the hell offa me? I'm _not_ gonna faint this time!"

The pair of Turks sniggered and released him, and a moment later, Reno had Elena in his arms.

"Really?"

"Really," Elena giggled and Reno kissed her.

"I love you," he said softly.

"... Oh, dear Holy," Rufus suddenly moaned, "No more diapers. Please Ramuh, no more diapers..."

Reno snorted in laughter. "The guy changes _one_ diaper, _one_ time..."

" _Once_ was more than enough," Rufus proclaimed. Tseng shook his head in amusement, and went to comfort the newly distraught President.

"Sooo..." Reno grinned as the executive temporarily drew their guests' attention away from the expecting couple. "Another one, huh? Heh... How 'bout we pick a name _before_ the kid is born this time?"

"I _still_ like Monica for a girl. And I have to admit... Alexander has kind of grown on me for a boy," she said with a laugh.

"Ya know... Alexander's gettin' kinda common these days," Reno replied, "... What d'ya think of Lea?"

~fade to black~


End file.
